Couple Reunited with Missing Dog After Ten Day Search in Albuquerque: ‘It Was Absolutely Surreal’

A Colorado couple was reunited with their missing dog “Cabo” after he was lost for ten days in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Earlier this year, Cameron Donner rescued Cabo from a dog hoarder, according to KSBW.

“Hoarders do not have the resources or capabilities to care for all of the animals in their homes, may not even know how many animals are in their homes, and will be in denial of their inability to take care of all of the animals in their possession,” Dogtime states.

“He’s a very sweet loving dog,” Cameron Donner told KSBW. “He’s just more open with animals, dogs, cats, just given his background and nature.”

According to a Facebook post by Albuquerque – Lost Dogs, Cats & Pets, the pup is a “pit bull mix.”

Cabo accompanied the couple on a trip to New Mexico to visit Cameron’s girlfriend’s family before the Albuquerque Ballon Fiesta, KSBN reported. Cabo was getting along well with other family dogs during their stay when he suddenly took off running through the garage door, the outlet said.

Cameron exhausted hours searching for his missing pup to no avail and decided to utilize social media to get the word out, according to KSBW. The outlet reported he received a tip regarding a Cabo spotting at a local park, so he, his girlfriend, and her family went on another search for the lost pup. A search into the evening turned up empty.

“I wouldn’t give up,” Cameron told KSBW. “There’s no way that anything was gonna stop me from finding him.”

Albuquerque – Lost Dogs, Cats & Pets, posted to Facebook about Cabo’s disappearance on October 8 and sent out a follow-up post on October 9. 

“Description: Cabo was last seen yesterday in Albuquerque. He was rescued from a really bad hoarding situation,” the October 9 post reads in part. “He’s great with dogs but is terrified of people. Please approach very slowly.”

The Albuquerque community pitched in on search efforts for Cabo, logging eight-hour days and sometimes covering 20 miles, but the pup was nowhere to be found, KSBW reported. The searches went on for ten days, and finally, there was a Cabo sighting. The family went to the reported location, and there the dog was.

“Cabo was just standing there completely covered in mud color – he just looked like almost a different dog,” Cameron told KSBW.

He offered his long-lost dog a piece of chicken, and Cabo slowly made his way to Cameron.

“It was absolutely surreal,” said Cameron, according to KSBW. 

Cameron sang the praises of the Albuquerque community after the successful rescue operation. “Everyone was absolutely phenomenal,” Cameron told KSBW. “I really can’t thank everybody enough for just all their help and support.”

KSBW reports the pup went to the veterinarian after his ten-day adventure and turned up healthy.