Yes — after 65 long days, a senior dog named Buddy was found alive and safe. This surprising bit of news has people in Monticello and beyond breathing a sigh of relief.
A year ago I lost my phone at a concert. I figured it was gone for good — then a stranger’s photo put it back in my hands. That small, weird bit of luck is exactly what happened here, but with far higher stakes.
Buddy went missing in Monticello, Georgia, while visiting family from Waco, Texas over Thanksgiving. At first there were tips and a few sightings. Then silence. Days stretched into weeks. For nearly a month, there were no signs of him at all.
Still, the community kept hunting. Flyers went up at stores and gas stations. Neighbors searched the woods and the old quarry. People who’d never met Buddy shared posts and made calls. Then, on January 30 at 5:35 p.m., a trail camera changed everything: a woman who’d seen the flyers checked her camera, spotted Buddy, and called the team helping the family.
- Went missing: Thanksgiving visit in Monticello.
- Months of searching: tips faded, but flyers and calls kept the hunt alive.
- Break in the case: trail camera photo on Jan. 30 gave rescuers a location and a time to work from.
Neighbors said they thought Buddy might have headed toward the rock outcrops by the old quarry or into the thicker woods and wilderness nearby. Some feared bears or the cold would make the odds worse. Others held out hope that a friendly stray or a quiet side trail would keep him alive until someone found him.
Within hours, people and gear were on site. A humane trap was placed where the trail camera had shown Buddy, and Rebekah Little and her husband settled in their truck to wait through the cold night.
Just before 11:30 p.m., Buddy walked right in.
He’d been gone for two months, survived freezing nights, and — by some counts — may have roamed more than eight miles from where he was lost. Still, he was calm when rescuers secured him and loaded him into the truck. People who saw him said he looked thin, but not badly hurt; a small gash on a paw was treated by volunteers.
Sixty-five days missing — and the dog was back. It felt like the whole community woke up the next morning lighter, as if a long, worrying time had finally ended.
Today Buddy is warm, fed, and slowly decompressing thanks to Ami, a local groomer and longtime dog rescuer who stepped in right away. She even offered to drive him back home to Texas so his family wouldn’t need to make another tiring trip.
This rescue shows what a group of worried people can do. Flyers. Calls. Night watches. A stranger checking a trail camera. A friend who would not quit. Those things added up to a happy ending for a dog who had been gone for two months.
Quick Q&A:
- How did he survive? People think Buddy stuck to edges of the woods and rocky spots near the old quarry, found small food sources, and avoided bigger risks like bears. Volunteers later treated a small gash and gave him food and water.
- What happens next? A vet check is planned, then Ami will help get Buddy back home where his family — and the kids who miss him — can see him again.
If you want to help, the family’s GoFundMe has updates and is linked above. No pressure — just check the facts there if you want to chip in.
After 65 days, Buddy is back. The family is overjoyed, the community is relieved, and for now, Buddy is enjoying a soft bed and a calm morning. Not bad for an old retriever who outwitted the cold and the wilderness — we all needed a little good news, and Buddy delivered it.
