Patrick Burns and his family endured a dog owner’s worst nightmare while away on vacation.
The family from Panama City, Florida, arranged for a pet sitter for their three dogs while they were gone, but then Hurricane Michael hit their hometown. Forced to evacuate, the pet sitter had to leave the family’s three dogs behind.
The family returned home to discover their house and possessions had been lost during the natural disaster, and worst yet, Quinn, their smallest dog, was missing.
But Quinn wasn’t gone for good — just lost. Cory Bruckschen found the fluffy dog wandering the wreckage left behind by the storm while he was looking for his own missing dog. Based on Quinn’s appearance and demeanor, Bruckschen knew the dog had a family who was likely looking for him.
In hopes of reuniting the family, the dog-loving do-gooder took Quinn to the Humane Society of Bay County, where the ASPCA and the Florida State Animal Response Coalition were leading emergency sheltering operations for animals displaced by the hurricane.
After talking with the rescuers, Bruckschen agreed to care for Quinn until the canine’s true owners were found. When Burns came by the same shelter a few days later with a picture of Quinn, disaster responders were able to tell him they recognized Quinn from meeting the animal a few days prior.
The ASPCA arranged for Bruckschen and his family to bring Quinn to the shelter to reunite the pooch with Burns and his family. For both groups is a was a ray light after days of disappointment. And not to fear, the Bruckschens received a happy ending their own, too, finding their own missing dog not long after saving Quinn.