A family in Green Cove Springs, Florida, who lost their beloved dog got a huge surprise on Christmas Eve.
The dog, whose name is Athena, escaped her home on December 15. Community members searched long and hard for her but were unable to track her down, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Friday.
Owner Brooke Comer had left the house that day with her family when a neighbor alerted her that Athena, who is four years old, was outside their home. However, Athena was gone after they rushed back home to rescue her. The family still does not know how she got out of her crate, leaving only her collar behind.
Comer received tons of leads from neighbors who said they saw the dog but no one was able to capture her. It appeared the four-legged escape artist went on an almost 20-mile journey during that time.
The AP noted Athena is a German Shepherd and Husky mix. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), German shepherds are known to be courageous, confident, and smart, while Huskies are loyal, outgoing, and mischievous.
When they thought Athena would never make it home, the Comer family was overjoyed on Christmas Eve around 2:30 a.m. when their Ring video alerted them and their other dog began barking. It seemed someone was at their front door just waiting to be let inside.
Comer recalled the incredible moment, saying, “I was kind of like in a daze, and the dog was barking, and as soon as I heard that ring, I looked at my phone and you could see in the video it was Athena and she was jumping at the door, ringing the doorbell.”
The video footage shows Athena trying to let her family know she had returned. “Hi, you are currently being recorded,” the doorbell told her. Moments later, someone opened the front door to greet Athena and let her inside.
The family plans to give her a full health examination, flea and tick treatments, and also have her microchipped in case something similar happens again.
“Now that is a Christmas miracle!” one social media user said of Athena’s epic return, while someone else commented, “Such happiness that she’s home safe and sound.”
In February 2023, a dog in El Paso, Texas, escaped from her adopted family’s home and traveled 10 miles back to her shelter where she rang the doorbell, Breitbart News reported.
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