HAPPY STORIES - BUSTER IS HOME - ALDERGROVE - MAR. 27, 2020

It all started on December 21, 2019. We left Buster with family in Aldergrove as we were supposed to go to the island overnight to visit other family. Buster decided he was coming looking for us when he went out for a pee early in the morning. (he busted a wood gate to get out of the property) We were quickly called when he didn't come back inside and we cancelled our trip to start looking for him. All the right people were called and soon Laps was calling me with sightings. We followed up on all the sightings when who do we see running right down Fraser highway in downtown Aldergrove - Buster! but he had terror in his eyes and didn't even recognize me, he was in full on survival mode. I chased after him till my heart almost exploded and he was a dot on the horizon - that dog can move!
We didn't get any sightings for a couple days but we posted on all the groups and put up many signs. Then we get a call "he is in Aldergrove lake park!" even pictures to prove it. More searching to no avail. Over the next couple months we got calls and messages from people seeing buster all over the place from Abbotsford to south Langley and everywhere between. We were always too late but followed up on everything we heard. Next we enlisted the help of the petsearchers but buster had tracks all over and there wasn't much success there either. Literally hundreds of posters put up all over the lower mainland and still getting calls. Then nothing positive for a long time, we didn't give up hope but we were worried he found somewhere to stay and they didn't notice the signs or didn't have Facebook. The weather was cold and he doesn't have a big coat and really prefers to stay inside. January, February now March the weather starts getting better and we are hoping for the best. Still getting calls of sightings in brookswood and fort Langley but I don't think it was him many more signs put up just in case.
Flash forward to last night, (thanks to a neighbour of the Sunrise Garden centre that saw and recognized Buster) , we received a call that he had been lured into an empty dog kennel and we could pick him up this morning. We were ecstatic but still wondering, "is this real, really happening?) Sure enough we get there and Buster is in the kennel. *see video* It turns out he was sneaking around their property for a month. They noticed the cat food was emptying everyday before they noticed the very skinny large dog lurking around. They said he was so weak he could barely walk so they started to put food out for him every night. He slowly warmed up to them over the month and stayed closer, even slept on their porch at night some times. They thought he was a neighbour's dog and felt bad that he was being so malnourished. I think he was ready to trust someone and we are glad he did. This is the best day since my son was born and we couldn't be happier with the outcome. Buster is still skinny but healthy and happy.
If you have a missing pet, don't EVER give up hope! Our spoiled prince of a dog managed to survive in - 20 temps with snow, cold and rain. Coyotes, cars and farmers with shotguns. We are so thankful to all the awesome caring people out there that didn't give up on buster because it helped us stay hopeful. All your shares, likes, comments and support mean the world to us.
❤️ You all,
Jason and family