A missing dog who vanished at an airport in Johannesburg is safely back in his owner’s arms, after a viral social media search and a watchful family who kept him safe.
Smurf went missing on Sunday, October 24, when his owner Geoffrey was travelling from Rustenburg to drop a friend off at the airport in Johannesburg. In a matter of hours, Smurf’s story went viral on social media.
A powerhouse network of animal heroes
When PAWS R Us became aware of Smurf’s story, the team contacted a network of rescuers, vets and community groups. Social media posts by PAWS R Us, Barking Mad, K9 Loki and the Searchlight group on Facebook spread the word far and wide, Good Things Guy reported on November 2.
Meanwhile, the Strydom family had found a little brown dog at the airport and taken him to their home on the West Rand to keep him safe. They checked for a microchip but found none, and took him to Roodekruin Vet.
The surprise reunion
On Sunday, November 1, the search ended in tears of joy. PAWS R Us arranged for Geoffrey to stop by their shelter under the impression that he would be speaking to local media about Smurf’s disappearance — little did he know he was about to be reunited with his best friend.
A video captured the moment Smurf was revealed to Geoffrey. As Geoffrey dropped to his knees, the little dog’s tail wagged endlessly. Smurf has now been microchipped, and, as PAWS R Us put it, “tonight, he will sleep in his home with his beloved dad.”
Smurf’s story is also a lesson in why microchips matter: when the Strydom family found him, they checked for a chip and found none, which is why it took a viral search and a network of rescuers to get him home. He has now been microchipped, so if he ever goes missing again, a vet or shelter can scan him and call his owner directly. For Geoffrey, the reunion was worth every day of worry — and for Smurf, it meant a warm bed, a full bowl and his dad’s arms.
