A stolen dog who was found 2,000 miles from home, has been returned to its owner by a group of strangers.
Earlier this year, Zeus was taken from his home in Butte, Montana, United States, in October, only to be found in West Virginia. Once he had been tracked down, however, the mammoth task then begun to get him back - which was more difficult than you might think.
Due to him weighing 73Ibs, Zeus was too big to fly commercially, so had to be driven 29 hours back to his owner, Cassandra.
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However, as she couldn't make the journey herself, she employed the help of 30 strangers, who each brought the doggo part of the way - taking a total of four days and three sleepovers to get the little fella back.
Volunteers from Paws Volunteer Transport group all pitched in to help the pooch, with the Kanawha Charleston Humane Association updating people on their progress.
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Speaking to WOWK-TV, Jenn Robles, a volunteer with Many Paws Volunteer Transport, said she was happy to offer her help and was just glad it was a happy ending for Cassandra and Zeus.
She said: "It's wonderful. This is a great experience, a great opportunity to show the people and communities across the United States offering to help, jumping on this - to help reunite this dog with its family."
Explaining how the little guy came to be so far from home, Chelsea Staley, from the Kanawha Charleston Humane Association, revealed he had been taken by a 'friend' of his owner.
She said: "It seems Cassandra who is a single mom in Butte, Montana, allowed a family friend to come stay with her for a bit.
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"The 'friend' basically robbed her blind, stole her wallet, a number of things while she was at work including her dog Zeus. The friend was apprehended in Nitro, and when he was arrested Zeus was still with him."
Announcing Zeus's return, the Kanawha Charleston Humane Association posted a video to its Facebook page.
The caption read: "We're so honored to be a part of his journey, and grateful for the volunteers nationwide who made this reunion possible!
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"While Zeus' journey is a heartwarming holiday story, it's just a glimpse into what animal welfare organizations do 365 days per year, in order to save pets' lives and reunite families."
Featured Image Credit: Kanawha-Charleston Humane AssociationTopics: Dog, Interesting, US News, Animals