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IT’S A DENVER man’s American dream: Getting back the dog that vanished four years ago on the Fourth of July.
Kelly Booker’s 9-year-old Shih Tzu, Lilly, was found last month wandering the streets more than 1,500 kilometres away in Elgin, Illinois, suffering from a severe infection and exposure. Her nails grew long, and people who found her said she was in bad shape.
Booker said his pet disappeared July 4, 2011, when he put her in the backyard as he headed to a fireworks show. He does not know if Lilly got frightened by the explosions and ran away or was stolen.
“Kids were outside popping fireworks. We went looking for her and she was gone,” Booker said.
It was like a child that went missing.
On Thursday, he and his 10-year-old son picked up Lilly at Denver’s airport. The dog wagged its tail and seemed to immediately recognize the two, who cradled her and repeatedly asked “Where have you been, Lilly? Where have you been?”.
Volunteers at the Almost Home Foundation rescued Lilly and nursed her back to health.
She was identified by a microchip with her owner’s contact information, and Booker was notified.
Booker said he doesn’t know how Lilly wound up in Illinois.
Chuck Hanson, spokesman for the Almost Home Foundation, said Lilly got a big send-off in Illinois before she was sent home.
“She’s getting a lot of attention. She even had her own press conference before she left,” Hanson said.
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Why put a dog outside on a night with Fireworks? ??
I went to a zoo last week, all it had was one animal….a dog, it was a shih tzu.
I love these stories with happy endings and of people being found safe as well. Lifts the heart. Don’t believe that she was wandering and no one picked her up. I would say stolen for puppy farms and either let go or escaped. If she is neutered I would say dumped. I don’t know anyone who would ignore that dog wandering around looking dishevelled for that long. Someone would have took her in. Happy to see her safe.
Just goes to show how important having your Dog microchipped is,
Also, People should think more about tying their pooches to a pole/post when they pop into a shop or supermarket, it is becoming a favourite way to steal dogs, I have seen evidence and heard stories where a man was paying a wee bit too much to a pooch tied up, He got on his phone whilst looking at the dog (boxer i believe) had a quick chat with someone, 5 mins later a van pulled up.
If it hadn`t been for a concerned onlooker who videoed it on their phone, after thinking it was weird carry on – the Dog would have been gone.
A Good dog is worth a fortune nowadays – please remember that.
I`d never tie my dog to a pole and leave him to the chance of anything happening,
He is way too important to me for that.
She was probably trying to avoid water charges.
Comments on here are just getting more stupid
Would people ever give it a fooking rest about water charges……?!? Turning a good news story into the usual crap…..
Ah lighten up! Most of my comments are sensible.
Its the articles that are getting more stupid
Lilys a cock of a dog not one phone call I’d bring her for a longer drive next time
Dog w*nker
have your say