Homeless veteran reunites with his missing dog in California
Kettleman City, Calif. - A homeless Vietnam War veteran was reunited with his dog in California on June 6, after his beloved pet went missing for several days.
According to the Kings County Sheriff’s Office, Michael Hatfield’s dog named Rerun was returned to Kettleman City after the department reached out to the public during a local news broadcast and on social media.
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"The dog is emotional support for this guy. He has had the dog for 2.5 years," Deputy John Daulton Sr. wrote on his Facebook page, requesting the community’s support to help locate the dog. "Please share this high and low across the state and help this guy get his only possession back."
Fortunately, the family found Rerun while traveling through Kettleman City, but initially thought the dog had been abandoned. They took him in, brought him on a road trip to the Sequoia Mountains and gave him a bath, the sheriff’s office wrote.
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According to police, the family were very pleased to return Rerun to Hatfield once they discovered he was missing, and the dog was tagged before being returned. The family also donated food and treats to Hatfield.
Footage posted on June 6 showed the heartwarming reunion, where Daulton Sr. returned the man’s best friend to Hatfield.
"Thanks to all 8000 people who shared our story," Daulton Sr. wrote. "Rerun’s return was immediate after the news story...in this dark world people are still compassionate."