WESTLAND, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Detroit-area family received the ultimate Christmas gift this year when their beloved dog Toby was returned to them after being missing for four years. The heartwarming reunion happened thanks to a social media post that caught the attention of just the right person.
Watch Carli Petrus's video report:
Felicia Fritz adopted Toby as a puppy in 2018, but four years ago, he ran away from home — something she said he did often back then.
"It was just like okay, he's going to come back, he's going to come back, and he didn't come back," Fritz said.
At some point, Toby ended up at the Humane Society, where an older man adopted him. He lived in a safe home for nearly two years until that man became too sick to care for him. That's when Toby was surrendered to Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue.
"As far as we knew, Ziggy was a surrender, and his owner was not going to be able to come back for him," said Krissy Powe, a board member with Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue.
Renamed Ziggy, the dog soon became one of their longest residents. After a year in the shelter, staff knew they needed to find him a home quickly.
"We knew that mentally the shelter was taking a very bad toll on his mental well-being, and when he reached that year mark, we knew we had to try to go hard and try to find him a home," Powe said.
The shelter posted pictures of who they called Ziggy across social media, and one picture caught the attention of just the right person — Fritz.
"When I scrolled like that to just like close my phone, he was right there on my phone," Fritz said.
Calling it nothing short of a Christmas miracle, Fritz provided the shelter with old photos of Toby, and his distinctive markings were a match. After an in-person meeting, Powe said there was no doubt in anyone's mind that this was Fritz's dog.
WEB EXTRA: Reunion with beloved pet caught on video
"Like a whole sense of my family's complete, it didn't even feel real, honestly. It did not feel real at all," Fritz said about seeing Toby for the first time in four years.
"For a long time, I just lost all faith, I'm not going to lie, I lost all faith, and when I found him, it was like, okay," Fritz said.
Now, Powe is emphasizing the power of social media in the shelter world.
"Sharing is everything. The ability for people to promote animals online is huge and literally hitting that share, you could be the share that ended up finding an animal a home," Powe said.
Now microchipped and cuddled up with his family, Toby will get to spend Christmas exactly where he belongs.
"This is one I'll never forget, my kids will never forget. I am so blessed, and it's something that money cannot buy," Fritz said.
If you're interested in donating or helping to find another dog a home, you can start by going to the Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue website.
https://www.friendsofmichigan.org/
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