Upon arriving at Carowinds Camp Wilderness in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Calteaux family was eager to dive into their vacation activities.
Little did they know, however, that this getaway would unexpectedly turn into a rescue mission.
Unfortunate Event
The vibrant and noisy fireworks show at the camp was not a hit with everyone; Lucy, the family’s dog, became scared, leading her to panic and escape from her leash.
Before the Calteaux family could react, Lucy was already gone.
During their stay, Dana and Glenn Calteaux, with their children, dedicated all their time to searching for Lucy. Sadly, as they prepared to return home to Buffalo, New York, she was still missing.
The family even reached out to a local news station in Charlotte to share their story and express how much they missed Lucy.
“We just want her back. She needs us just as much as we need her,” the Calteaux family shared.
Reinforcements
When Charlotte residents heard of this heartbreaking situation, they immediately mobilized to help. They united with the hope of locating the missing dog and returning her to her family.
The dedicated rescue team thoroughly combed the woods surrounding the Wilderness Camp, distributed flyers, rode bicycles to spread the word, and even participated in local parades donning dog costumes to raise awareness about Lucy’s disappearance.
A dedicated Facebook group was established to track possible sightings or leads, amassing over 2,900 members.
Back in Buffalo, the family was also proactive, reaching out to Teresa Tucker and Kelly Chatman from Tucker K-9 Search and Rescue for help.
Teresa and Kelly teamed up with the community to widen the search efforts to nearby states.
However, as time went on with no sightings reported, Teresa and Kelly began to suspect that Lucy may have already been found and was being kept by someone.
Despite numerous lost and found Golden Retrievers being reported in the Facebook group, sadly, none matched Lucy.
With distinct dark spots on her tongue, Lucy was not easily confused with other dogs.
“If anyone spots a golden retriever with two black spots on her tongue, please call us. Your identity will remain confidential, and you’ll help reunite our family,” Dana posted on Facebook.
Good News
After five months of tireless searching, the Calteaux family was interviewed by Charlotte’s WCNC news station, where they received astonishing and joyous news: Lucy had been found!
You can catch their heartfelt reaction here:
The family learned that Teresa and Kelly had been contacted by someone who had seen Lucy and called the number on the flyers. Although they assumed Lucy was locked away, she likely escaped during the storms that swept through the area that week.
Aside from being a bit underweight and infested with ticks, Lucy was in great shape.
“Sweetheart, we’ll get you microchipped and a GPS tracker. You really have no idea what’s coming your way,” exclaimed Dana, astonished.
Emotions ran high as the family was finally reunited with their beloved pup. Lucy reciprocated their affection, wagging her tail and giving each family member joyful licks.
Home Sweet Home
Lucy was taken to a local veterinarian, where she was found to be suffering from severe malnutrition. Thankfully, after receiving medication and dietary changes, she bounced back to her lively self.
After such an extended separation, Lucy and the Calteaux family certainly have a lot of time to catch up. Witnessing a community come together to reunite a family with their cherished pet is truly heartwarming.
A huge thank you goes out to everyone who took part in this effort… you all are heroes!
