Months of searching ends in happy tears as three-legged bear the dog is found

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - A 10-year-old dog, Bear, went missing back in September of 2021 when his owner was in Sevier County escaping the wrath of Hurricane Ida.

Harrison Sibley said he was out on a hike when his friends let Bear out of the place they were staying and he ran off.

“Everyone has probably heard this story already,” said Harrison from his home in Louisiana.

A group was started on Facebook to help reunite Bear with his human family.

Sibley returned home to Louisiana without Bear but was determined to not give up on finding him.

”I came up to Tennessee four times since then, I drove three flew once,” said Sibley.

From September to December there was nary a sighting of Bear.

That was until he started popping up on security cameras in Sevier County.

Just this past week, a couple working to help Sibley and found Bear managed to trap the German Shepherd mix and reunite him with Sibley.

”It was so, it was like pure emotion it was just like I saw him I guess the first thing in my head was just like hold him, grab him,” said Sibley.

Now, six months after Bear went missing, he’s back home in Louisiana in the hands of his owner.

”It’s been six months of just growth, trying to grow as a person you know going through all the pain and I was just blessed enough to get him back and grow through all of it so I’m just happy to have him again in my arms, you know,” said Sibley. ”I’m just thanking God that everything has gone back to normal.”

Sibley, holding Bear, joked he has plans to feed the dog a nice steak and enjoy being back together again.

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