How Boise Rallied and Helped Reunite a Family with Their Missing Dog

Yesterday we asked the community to assist a family looking to reunite with their German shepherd named Grizzly. Grizzly went missing late Friday night while owners, Hunter and Mackenzie were out enjoying an evening with friends. When they returned home, they noticed Grizzly had escaped their friends’ backyard and had been gone since.

Countless hours were put into the search for Grizzly with the owners getting flyers out, searching every street corner in Boise, and even getting the volunteer group Ladies and the Trap, who specializes in finding lost pets, involved in the hunt. The mother of the owner, Sherry was heartbroken to see her son without his best friend.

“My son Hunter hasn’t slept or eaten in days,” Sherry wrote yesterday (Tuesday, Feb. 8). “The dog and he were inseparable.”

It’s difficult to imagine but the agony and anxiety that a lost pet brings are beyond heavy. When we published the story to alert the community, Hunter’s girlfriend Mackenzie said that it pushed them to not give up.

“Yesterday was one of the most difficult days we’ve had,” Mackenzie said referencing Tuesday. “When you wrote that story, you doing that motivated us to keep going, we just had to keep looking.”

As the day went on, they still had no luck. Despite the article we published, the efforts of Ladies and the Trap, and all of the hours that were spent on posting flyers; there was still no sign of Grizzly.

When Wednesday morning arrived, Mackenzie says that her boyfriend, Hunter was encouraged to go to breakfast with his dad.

“Hunter’s dad forced him to go to breakfast this morning,” said Mackenzie, “he hadn’t eaten in days.”

That’s when the phone rang.

“While they’re at breakfast, Hunter got a call from a lady who asked if he’s still missing his dog,” Mackenzie shared, “she said she thinks she may have him.”

It was at that moment, Mackenzie said, when Hunter and his dad scrapped their breakfast plans and went to their vehicle while Hunter exchanged photos of Grizzly with the caller… it was him!

According to Mackenzie, the good Samaritan spotted Grizzly in the area near Allumbaugh and Fairview and brought him to keep him safe from harm.

As soon as Hunter arrived to confirm if it was in fact Grizzly, Mackenzie says that he darted out of the Good Samaritan’s home and ran straight into Hunter’s arms where the two embraced each other. As you can imagine, it was like a scene right out of a movie. A stranger who the owners don’t know even pulled over during Hunter and Grizzly’s reunion to ask: “Is that Grizzly, did you find him?!”

Sounds like everyone was invested in finding Grizzly!

“I was working when I got the call and I just broke down in front of my co-workers when I heard Grizzly was back with Hunter,” Mackenzie shared, laughing as she shared the roller coaster of emotions that she and Hunter had been on.

“It was just a crazy past couple of days,” says Mackenzie, “it’s the best day of my life that I hope I never have again!!”

We’ve been in contact with the family since receiving the news of Grizzly being found and Mackenzie made sure to text us: “Already have a tracker collar on him.”

The reunion has brought the family closer than ever and we’re hearing Grizzly is beyond excited to be home with his owners. Both Mackenzie and Hunter extend thanks to everyone who kept an eye out, Ladies and the Trap, and graciously thanked us, Mix 106.

“We couldn’t have done this without the community, thank you to everyone along the way.”