After more than four years, a Flagler County Army veteran has been reunited with his dog.
“She's my best friend,” John Russo said of his dog Bones.
Russo's ex-girlfriend agreed to take care of Bones when he enlisted in the Army four years ago. He'd get back to Florida occasionally while on leave and see Bones.
Once he completed his enlistment, Russo's ex-girlfriend and the dog were nowhere to be found.
But Russo never gave up hope of finding his dog. One morning last week, while looking through the Flagler Humane Society's web site, Russo found her.
“First page, third picture down, there she was. It was insane,” Russo said.
It turns out, his ex felt she could no longer care for the animal and asked a local veterinarian to euthanize the dog.
The vet refused and suggested she surrender her to the Humane Society.
“She was adopted one time, but she came back the next day," said Jeffrey Ritter with the Humane Society. "About a month later, Mr. Russo came in, asked for Bones and that was his dog.”
Russo will never forget that moment when dog and owner were reunited.
“She turned the corner. I was shaking the whole time, but she turned the corner and when she saw me, she just, she lit up. She went nuts,” Russo said.
At the Flagler Humane Society shelter, they've had a 20 percent increase in returning animals to their rightful owners over the past year.
Russo and Bones are happy to be just one of many happy reunions.
The Flagler Humane Society is full of other animals who don't have an owner and are looking for a good home.