NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – A California man was reunited with his dog months after the pet escaped during a trip to New York City, officials said.
The reunion came nearly five months after Mulligan the dog ran off as he was being walked by his owner, Buddy B., in the city, according to a Friday press release from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Buddy, of North Shore, California, visited New York in May with Mulligan, a 9-year-old Lab mix, after he was laid off from work in early 2021.
He and friends were walking Mulligan and a 2-month-old puppy named Espy in the city on May 17 when a car backfired and spooked Mulligan, who broke free of his leash and ran off. Espy also escaped while chasing after Mulligan.
Buddy and his friends searched for weeks in New York but were unable to find either dog. Buddy was eventually called back to work and returned to California "heartbroken and alone," the ASPCA said.
However, it turned out that Mulligan was brought to the Animal Care Centers of NYC's Manhattan location as a stray dog on June 9. He was eventually placed into foster care with a woman named Elena in Queens.
Meanwhile, Buddy was browsing the ASPCA's website in mid-August when he saw a chocolate brown dog named "Rip Van Winkle" who looked like Mulligan—a hunch that was ultimately confirmed by a friend in New York.
ASPCA teams launched a ground journey to bring Mulligan home to California.
The 2,600-mile drive began on Oct. 3 and included overnight stops in Columbus, St. Louis and Elk City, Oklahoma. The trip continued "against the colorful backdrop of canyons, mesas and badlands of New Mexico and Arizona," the ASPCA said.
Mulligan was brought directly to Buddy's doorstep on Oct. 6.
"At first, Mulligan froze when he saw Buddy. But when Buddy spoke, Mulligan began wagging his tail. Suddenly, he bolted toward Buddy, who tightly embraced his wiggly, 90-pound best friend," the ASPCA said.
The organization is encouraging New Yorkers to become foster caregivers for large-breed dogs by visiting ASPCA.org/FosterNYC. The organization said they have an ongoing need at the ASPCA Adoption Center in Manhattan.
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