Howllo Fellow hound and hound nose lovers! You gotta love a hound that can find his way home after 2 1/2 weeks lost after a tornado rips through the neighborhood.

This just came across the wires.

Dog finds its way home
By JOANNE BRATTON
Bulletin Staff Writer

Katresa Harris of Gassville was shocked Friday when she saw the family dog, Pongo, peek out of his dog house.

The 9-year-old basset hound and blue heeler mixed-breed dog had been missing for nearly 2 1/2 weeks, since a tornado damaged the family’s home and the dog’s outside pen Feb. 5.

Friday morning, Harris went to her house on Kirkland Street, just as family members had every day, to see if the dog was back home.

“He poked his head out of the dog house,” said Katresa Harris’ husband, Tim. “He was running — he was so excited to see her.”

As the tornado hit Gassville, Katresa Harris and her two children, Justin, 13, and Kendra, 9, were inside their home with their two indoor Chihuahua dogs. The storm had torn the outside fence and broken a fence post, and Pongo immediately ran away.

The family made posters with a picture of Pongo, included a cell-phone number and plastered them around the city. They checked with animal shelters and searched the area, trying to find their dog. Since they cannot live in their home until it is repaired, they drove by to put out food and water in case Pongo appeared. A few neighbors would say they saw Pongo, but he was nowhere to be found.

On Friday, Tim Harris picked up his children from Cotter school and took them to Animal Clinic of the Ozarks in Flippin as a surprise, where they were reunited with a thin but happy Pongo. Other than being dirty and hungry, Pongo was fine, Tim said.

“I knew he made it,” Tim said. “We never gave up on him, that’s for sure.”

When they pulled up to the veterinarian office, Kendra first thought they were getting a new dog, she said.

“It was very exciting,” she said, repeatedly hugging Pongo while sitting on the floor in the veterinarian office.

Her brother had carried Pongo’s leash in his pocket for a week and a half, hoping to find his dog.

“I wanted to find him,” he said, adding he figured Pongo had been found when his father mysteriously drove to the veterinarian office. “I’m glad to have him home.”

End of article

Blogger’s note…Probably not a great idea to leave poor Pongo outside when a tornado is emanate.

What a smart boy. Good job Pongo! You are a hero! Slurp

More Later…Cat, Chaps and Emma

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