When Freddy, a six-month-old Golden Retriever puppy, went missing in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, his family was devastated.
They missed their pup and hoped to have him back in their arms.
His owners, Pamela and Joe Palko, managed to get over the initial shock and started doing everything in their power to bring their pup back home.
Freddy’s heartbroken family posted about him on social media and asked for help.
They also distributed flyers and hired two companies to help them locate their pup, one that works with search dogs and the other that employs drone technology.
Despite their efforts, there was no news of Freddy…
A Shocking Discovery
While a hiker named Collin Leiby was exploring a route on Sharp Mountain, he was surprised to see that his dog, Bass, had gone off trail.
Leiby followed Bass, who took him to an abandoned coal pit. As the hiker glanced at the surrounding rocks, he noticed some movement in the pit and discovered that it was a wagging tail.
He soon made eye contact with the dog and realized that it was the missing puppy, Freddy.
The puppy who was trapped ten feet down in the pit was staring at him, pleading for help.
Leiby was happy to have found him and started thinking about the best way to rescue him.
“A tear came to my eye. I started calling his name. He slowly got up and started walking toward us,” Leiby told The Associated Press.
Freddy climbed partway up the icy wall and Leiby reached out and pulled him from the pit.
The puppy kept whimpering and jumping toward his rescuer. He just wanted to be home with his family.
The kind man comforted Freddy and promised to take him home. Leiby had an extra leash, so he clipped it to Bass and led both dogs back to the trail.
At the time, the Palko family was at the local shelter. They were following a tip when Joe received a message that someone brought his pup home.
A Heartwarming Reunion
The couple was over the moon. They dashed to their home to make sure that their boy was alright.
After the ordeal that he went through, Freddy felt confused.
“He just was a little frantic, hungry and confused,” the family’s neighbor and the retired vet, Dr. Carolyn Canizaro-Orlowsky told The Associated Press.
However, as soon as the pup spotted his parents, his tail started wagging. He was happy to see them again.
The Palko family breathed a sigh of relief when they realized that their pup was in good condition. He was a bit underweight, which was understandable considering the situation.
Freddy is happy to be back with his family. Their love will help him forget the nightmare he endured.
Thank you, Collin Leiby, for rescuing the puppy and reuniting him with his humans who never lost hope.