TROY — A Troy dog is reunited with its family after missing for 10 days in New York.
Gary Morgan dropped off his 16 month old dog Meadow to stay with family in New York.
When the Morgans got back home to Troy they found out that shortly after they left Meadow had run away.
“It was kind of like losing your child,” Gary Morgan said. “You’re in a large mall and all at once you look down and the child’s gone. I loaded up and left within probably 20 minutes from the time I got the phone call.”
Andes, New York is about a 10 hour non-stop drive from Troy and has a population of about 1,300. Morgan said many of them were out looking for Meadow. Within an hour of putting up posters they heard people were out searching for the dog when they went to a local bank to hang up another sign.
“I could not believe the people that turned out, there were park rangers, there were young kids on ATVs,” Morgan said.
Day 8 of Meadow being missing was the worst for Gary because he knew it was the start of deer hunting season.
“City hunters from New York City aren’t out in the wilderness very much they’re going to shoot at anything they see so if she is loose and running they’re probably going to shoot her,” Morgan said. “And that was probably my worst day.”
It wasn’t until a stranger, Brian James, who lives a couple hours away started searching and using his drone that Meadow was found.
Meadow is shy and a little skittish so it was difficult to get a hold of her.
Brian carried her down the mountain going 50 steps at a time between breaks.
Meadow had been missing for 10 days and Brian was able to arrange a reunion with Gary.
“I was loving all over her but she acted like no big deal,” Morgan said.
“But then when we got ready to leave that spot, usually Meadow doesn’t get in the car and normally you have to pick her up and put her in the car. Not this time. She jumped up in the car, laid down. Kind of looked at me like let’s go.”
When they got back to Troy Meadow was happy to be home. Gary wonders what Meadow went through to survive in the Catskill Mountains and is thankful she’s back home.
“I know one thing she’s not going to go anywhere again,” Morgan said. “She’s our forever dog.”
The family had a reward of $500 for Meadow but Brian did not want the money and preferred it be donated to charity.
The Morgans have said Brian James is now like a member of the family and have talked about a reunion when the pandemic is over.
Cox Media Group
