Diesel, staffy

Dog to be reunited with family after missing for two years
Dominic Geiger
21st Jan 2013

SAMANTHA McDonald's faith in humanity has been restored.

Last night, Ms McDonald received a call from Animal Emergency Services on the Gold Coast informing her the family's pet Staffy 'Diesel' had been found - two years after he disappeared.

The family’s pet Staffy ‘Diesel’ had been found – two years after he disappeared.

Ms McDonald said she had given up hope of ever seeing her beloved puppy again when she moved with her fiancé Dean and their two sons to Mackay 12 months ago.

"I was overwhelmed," Ms McDonald said.

"I began to get emotional… I had to pass my phone over to Dean to finish the conversation."

A member of the public rescued Diesel from the side of a busy Gold Coast road, and a microchip test revealed he belonged to the McDonald family.

Ms McDonald said she immediately began making preparations to travel to the Gold Coast to pick up the pet, until she received more good news this morning.

"AES has their own Facebook page and there's been lots of support from strangers and those involved to reunite Diesel with our family," she said.

This Wednesday, Diesel will board a plane with pet transfer company Jetpets and make the journey to Mackay.

AES receptionist Solange Newton said the flight had been funded through anonymous donations after Diesel's plight was published on the group's Facebook page.

"(The McDonalds) were overwhelmed, they were in tears," Ms Newton said.

"It took them a little while to believe we had found their dog and they were concerned about his health and the condition he was in as well."

But Diesel was found to be in "fabulous condition".

"The impression we get is he was taken in by another family," Ms Newton said.

Ms McDonald said it felt like her family's "missing link" was being returned to them.

"Thanks to total strangers for their support and reuniting Diesel with our family," she said.

"It just restores my faith in humanity."

Source: http://www.qt.com.au/news/dog-be-reunited-family-after-missing-two-years/1724900/
Another version of the story is at http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2013/01/22/445880_gold-coast-news.html