After a heartfelt plea and a months-long search, a miniature Aussiedoodle named Gunner has finally been reunited with his family, thanks to a viewer’s tip prompted by a KTNV investigation.
Nicole Manson, Gunner’s owner, expressed immense relief and gratitude after being contacted by a KTNV viewer who saw the original story aired on the news. Gunner had been missing for four months, ever since he escaped from a Rover sitter hired to care for him in October.
Manson’s determination to find Gunner never wavered, and she credits professional dog tracker Michele Dorais-Hood for her unwavering support during the search efforts. Dorais-Hood, accompanied by her trained tracking dog Smooch, helped trace Gunner’s movements from the sitter’s house through the neighborhood and onto the main street. However, the trail went cold after Gunner was believed to have been picked up.
As Manson revealed, Gunner had indeed wandered into a nearby Las Vegas community, where he found shelter with an elderly couple who eventually passed him on to a family member. Despite Gunner being microchipped, the family who found him failed to detect the microchip during scans and decided to keep him.
Fortunately, the power of social media and community support intervened when neighbors recognized Gunner from the KTNV news coverage and reached out to Manson on Facebook. This heartwarming reunion culminated in Gunner returning to his rightful home.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Manson expressed her joy at having Gunner back, emphasizing the deep bond they share. Gunner’s return also prompted the sitter responsible for his care to deactivate her Rover profile, signaling an end to her dog-sitting activities.
In a gesture of goodwill, Rover issued Manson a full refund, providing some measure of closure to this emotional journey of loss and reunion.
