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When Bear, a huge St. Bernard mix from Colorado, slipped away from his pet sitter, his family was heartbroken. Brandy Ross, his mom, had already struggled with leaving him behind temporarily, but finding out he was actually missing was just devastating.
They searched everywhere, hoping for some sign of him, but Bear had vanished. Days turned into months. Months became years. And slowly, Bear became more of a memory than anything else.
They never thought they’d see him again.
To make things harder, Brandy and her family had to move to New York for military transfers. That meant leaving Colorado behind, including the possibility that Bear might ever come back.
Two heartbreaking years went by. Not a single call. Not one update. Until finally, the phone rang.
Animal control had spotted a big dog near a construction site. They reached out to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR), and while they weren’t totally sure it was Bear, the resemblance was strong. He looked just like the dog who’d gone missing, just a little skinnier.
Finding him wasn’t easy. He was constantly on the move, never staying in one place for long. So the volunteers set up feeding stations and trail cameras, hoping to track his routine.
Then the miracle happened.
Bear walked right into one of their traps, tripped the light, and the doors shut behind him. Danielle Neiner, a volunteer with HSPPR, was the one who finally caught him—and confirmed it really was Bear.
He was finally safe.
Before sending him home, they brought him to the vet, gave him a full grooming, and made sure he was healthy. Amazingly, he was! No one was sure where he had gone or who he was with, but all that mattered was that Bear was okay!
When Brandy got the call, she broke down in tears. After more than two years out on the streets, Bear was alive—and somehow still healthy. “I was literally bawling my eyes out and even now I’m in shock that this is him. It’s like so crazy that he survived for two years in the Colorado weather,” she told WKBT News.
The reunion was everything you’d hope for. Bear may have been confused at first, but it didn’t take long for him to recognize his family. He’s home now, surrounded by love, and slowly settling back into the life he left behind.
As for the video posted to Instagram of the dog’s sweet return: “I’m home mom! I’m so excited.”
Same, Bear. Same.
Thanks to Danielle and the amazing team who never gave up, this gentle giant is exactly where he belongs. After years apart, love can still find its way home. Please keep scrolling to see the incredible reunion!
