Darwin and Cindy Cameron took their 12-year-old Chesapeake Retriever named Mo on a hunting trip in September. As a retired hunting dog, Mo was most often found enjoying the comfort of the camper during these expeditions. But one day, she got curious and set out on her own in search of Darwin. When her owners discovered her missing, they spent the next nine months hoping for her safe return.
This dog spent 9 months lost in the Idaho mountains. Here’s how she got home to Boise. https://t.co/PwrZfv1ty8 pic.twitter.com/ayq23BNqqe
— Idaho Statesman (@IdahoStatesman) July 10, 2017
They scoured the area looking for any sign of their lost dog. Fellow hunters, family members, and the sheriff’s office joined in the search, but Mo had gone into the mountains and disapeared. Cindy and Darwin, who live in Boise, stayed in the area where Mo went missing for three months in hopes of finding her. But after a harsh winter, heavy snowfalls, and one possible sighting of a dog matching Mo’s description being chased by wolves, they reluctantly faced the reality that they would never see their dog again.
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Fast forward nine months later, and local dog rescuer Cheri Glankler took in a starving, flea-ridden, elderly retriever who had stumbled onto a ranch in Horsehoe Bend. Glankler was determined to help the dog heal, but above all, she wanted to find her family. She posted on social media, and there was an instant response.
People quickly made the connection between Glankler’s found rescue dog and Mo. Word eventually reached the Camerons, but after months of disappointment, they were hesitant to open their hearts to the possibility. The dog looked like Mo, but no one believed the senior retriever could have survived the wilderness on her own.
After spending time with the dog, Glankler was the first person to truly believe it was Mo. She encouraged the Camerons to give her a chance, and they made the trip with renewed hope of getting their dog back.
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The reunion between the Camerons and the dog Glankler claimed to be Mo was subdued, but there was a definite sense of familiarity. The dog was still in survival mode, but she nosed her way into Cindy’s lap and sat directly on Darwin’s feet—a habit Mo was known for. A fatty tumor, an obsession with squirrels, and an automatic attraction to her old dog bed was further proof that Mo had finally found her way home.
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Back in Boise, Mo has settled into her old life. She’s partially deaf and half her usual weight, but she knows her way around her old home and melted back into the family dynamic as if she’d never been gone.
The Camerons will never understand what Mo went through during her 9-month disappearance, but her amazing journey earned her the nickname, “The Legend.” Her family is happy to have her home and is looking forward to making up for lost time.
Featured Image Source: Facebook/Lost Pets Boise
