NEW BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - After surviving alone in Callaway County for three months, 560 miles from his Michigan home, Bear has finally returned to his owner.
"You should've seen him when he walked in the door," owner Lisa Anderson, of Shelby, Michigan, said. "The tail was about wagging right off of him. He was about to tip over, he was wagging so hard."
On Oct. 7, Anderson came to Fulton to visit her sister, Teresa Smith. Along for the ride was Anderson's dog, Bear, who was about 8 months old. Anderson grew up in Fulton, and graduated from Fulton High School in 1982.
When Smith opened the door, her own dog barked. Startled, Bear broke his collar and bolted.
"I looked for him for three days," Anderson said.
Then, she had to return to Michigan. Months passed, but Anderson never gave up hope.
She and her family posted regularly to the "Fulton/Callaway County lost & found pets" group on Facebook. In each picture, Bear's dark eyes gleamed in his distinctive fox-colored fur. Anderson described him as a Chihuahua/dachshund/Pomeranian/beagle mix, with a charming underbite.
She missed him.
"He just loves everyone, you know what I mean?" she said. "If you pick him up on your lap, he curls into you and puts his head under your chin."
On Thursday, Guthrie resident Kerwin Kollmeier posted several pictures of a dog on Anderson's Facebook page. Though skinny and shaggy, the pooch was unmistakably Bear.
"Bear walked up to his house," Anderson said. "I guess he got tired of being wild and free."
According to Anderson and Kollmeier's posts, Bear lurked around Kollmeier's property for two weeks, swiping dog food from his dogs. At first, Kollmeier mistook him for a fox. Bear befriended Kollmeier's Great Pyrenees and at last approached the house.
"When Kerwin found him, he was nothing but skin and bones," Anderson said.
Kollmeier brought Bear in and fed him for several days before bringing him to Callaway Hills Animal Shelter on Dec. 31.
He then found Anderson's posts.
Anderson was over the moon. She and her brother-in-law, Michael Parker, set off Friday for New Bloomfield. Parker's wife Jennifer Parker watched Anderson's other dogs.
"We drove through a blizzard," she said.
She and Parker reached Missouri early in the morning and at long last, reunited with Bear.
"He knew us right away, too," Anderson said.
Now back in Michigan, Bear is quickly returning to his old self - picking on his mother and Anderson's other dogs.
Anderson said she's grateful Bear was found, and thankful to all the people who helped bring him home.