After six agonizing weeks, David Sowers, a graphic designer who lives in Denver, Colorado, was reunited with Jade, his beloved Australian shepherd.
“I feel like my life’s been on hold for 42 days while I’ve been looking for my lost dog. Now my life’s finally back to normal again,” said Sowers to the regional news outlet Missoulian.
On July 23, while on holiday with his girlfriend at Yellowstone National Park, Sowers collided with another vehicle whose driver fell asleep on the wheel. The dog bolted from Sower’s truck as park rangers were trying to free her from her crate that was crushed during the collision. Sowers suffered major injuries from the accident, including a broken leg, arm, and ribs. But he has not been deterred from making numerous trips back to Yellowstone, over 500-miles each way, in search for his beloved pet.
During the search, many volunteered their financial and moral support. This photo was posted on the Facebook group, Bring Jade Home showing the 18-month old dog reunited with her family.
On one of these hopeful expeditions back to the vast mountainous park populated by grizzly bears, wolves, and herds of bison, Sower’s girlfriend, Laura Gillice who works as an agility trainer for the American Kennel Club, spotted Jade while walking her own dog early Friday (Sept. 4). “It was a beautiful morning with the fog in the meadow and another couple had stopped to take pictures and out of the corner of my eye I saw this black and white movement,” said Gillice to the Missoulian. “I just called to her in puppy voices. She just came running to me.”
Jade had minor scrapes and lost some weight but was otherwise in good health. Her welcome-home meal was comprised of bits of Spam.