Dog ran with coyote pack in Nevada desert. Video shows happy reunion with his family
A dog who lived with coyotes in the Nevada desert for six months was finally reunited with his family on Valentine’s Day.
Video shows the excited pup running toward Christy Cabada and her family, with his white tail wagging furiously back and forth on Tuesday, Feb. 14, KTNV reported.
He then jumps up to greet each of them as they smile through joyful tears.
The dog’s story gained national attention as animal lovers in the Inspirada neighborhood in Henderson tracked his movement in the coyote pack using neighborhood social media groups. They started worrying about his health and safety when he showed up one day with a severe limp in his step, McClatchy News previously reported.
They had nicknamed him “Ghost,” and were finally able to trap him after he had evaded capture for at least seven months.
He was in need of some serious medical attention after running wild for that long, and his rescuers hoped to get him all fixed up and adopted into a new forever home.
Meanwhile, local news stations shared stories of his life in the desert and his eventual rescue. The Cabadas saw one of the stories and “immediately recognized him as Hades,” their dog who had gone missing months earlier, USA Today reported.
They soon found themselves in a bitter custody battle with the people who rescued him from the desert, McClatchy News previously reported.
The legal dispute eventually led to police involvement, though authorities couldn’t determine who rightfully owned the dog, USA Today reported. Clark County Animal Protection took custody of the dog and turned him over to the Animal Foundation, a nonprofit shelter, on Feb. 4.
In a video posted to Facebook, the Animal Foundation confirmed their staff was caring for him while he was under a 10-day legal hold. A veterinary services manager said a handful of people had claimed Ghost was their pet, and shelter staff would review the information before releasing him into anyone’s custody.
The Cabadas were able to prove Hades was their missing dog, a spokesperson for the Animal Foundation told McClatchy News in an email.
“More than enough photos and videos were provided to prove Hades was their dog,” Kelsey Pizzi told McClatchy News. “We also had proof the family had been looking for their dog since last year.
“It was a very emotional reunion at the shelter,” she added. “As soon as Hades saw his family, he ran right over to them, and his tail never stopped wagging. The children were crying and Hades kept jumping into everyone’s arms.”
The custody battle had created an anxious knot in Cabada’s chest, she told USA Today.
“Honestly, all of it went away when he recognized us,” she told the outlet. “My heart felt full of love.”
This story was originally published February 16, 2023 at 1:13 PM with the headline "Dog ran with coyote pack in Nevada desert. Video shows happy reunion with his family."
