Theo, poodle

Theo, the lost dog who found his own way back home
Amy Rossi, Philadelphia Animal Welfare Examiner
September 4, 2011

Every day we read horror stories about animals and their sad outcomes, and Theo's story certainly started off as one. But sometimes happy endings do prevail.

Theo was lost in Philadelphia, but found his way back to the home he knew.

Trust me, you're going to love this one.
Jessica Zinskie and her boyfriend, Rich, were attacked in Philadelphia on Friday around 6:30 p.m. Jessica, after threatening to call the police, was punched in the temple twice. Theo, terrified by all the commotion, darted from the car and took off running.

Jessica and Rich drove all over the area looking for Theo, and lots of people reported having seen the little white dog running around. But despite trying to grab him, Theo remained elusive. One young boy mentioned chasing Theo through the park so he could keep him for himself. This is when Jessica became very afraid that she'd never see her dog again.

"Thankfully, my adrenaline was going and I didn't feel any pain from the attack," said Jessica. "All I was focused on was getting Theo back."

When they couldn't find Theo, Jessica turned to flyers, phone calls, and social media for help. She posted about 300 flyers all over Philadelphia, called all the local veterinarian offices and shelters, and emailed all her friends and students about Theo.

Many people on Facebook shared Theo's flyer and hoped for his swift return.

Here's the part you'll love.

You see, Theo had a plan of his own. This resourceful little dog was anything but helpless in this situation.

A man Jessica had met during frequent walks with Theo called and said the dog was just seen about a block away from Jessica and Rich's old apartment. She drove there and took off running toward her old apartment. Just as she reached the backyard, another man walked out holding Theo. This smart little dog had gone back to the only place he really knew.

"I was speechless and holding back tears," said Jessica. "I must have thanked him a millon times. It's one thing to hear someone else's lost dog story, but it's totally different when your dog is the one missing."

Because Theo is mostly an indoor dog, his foot pads are a bit worn from running so much on the hard ground. But he ate and drank a lot, and is at this moment taking a long nap.

"It's a weight off our shoulders," said Jessica. "Luckily, Theo was microchipped, which made this whole situation much easier to deal with."

Jessica had immediately called HomeAgain, which sends an email to every vet, shelter, and pet owner that's participating in the program with Theo's picture and information. They also offer "Missing Dog" flyers to print out with rip-off phone number stubs.

"If it came to the point where someone had rescued Theo, and they'd taken him to a vet, he would have been scanned and it would have said 'missing,'" said Jessica. "Microchipping is absolutely worth every dollar and I advise every pet owner to utilize it."

Maybe this is also a testament to walking your dog. If the dog is familiar with his surroundings, he'll know how to get back there on his own.

As much as Theo is the love of Jessica's life, apparently Jessica is the love of his.

Now they are reunited, thanks to one smart little dog.

Of course Jessica would also like to thank the wonderful people in University City for helping to bring him back to her. Also, a huge thank you to all who shared Theo's flyer on their Facebook walls! You might have had a part in bringing him home.
 
Source:
http://www.examiner.com/animal-welfare-in-philadelphia/theo-comes-home-on-his-own