Found! Missing Dog 'Gilly' Reunited with Family

PHOTO: A cleaned-up Gilly, after surviving nearly 48 hours on the loose in the Vienna area this week. She was found in the stream behind the Merrifield View development. Photo courtesy of owners.

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VIENNA, VA -- There's a happy ending this week to Bearded Collie dog "Gilly," who went missing after getting loose outside a Merrifield Starbucks Tuesday morning.

The 2.5-year old pooch was reunited with her owners Wednesday night. Here's the tale, from owner Pat Colombo:

"I cannot express the awe I have of everyone who so quickly stepped in and started helping. God bless the flyers and Internet publicity. I had no idea how many people in my neighborhood have dogs, care for dogs, and care for each other, but it was quickly noted.

The first report of a sighting came to us at 6:30 Tuesday but was a noon sighting. The good news was not only spotting her, but the location was where I prayed she was heading. Residential. Headed toward home. We all regrouped and as folks got off work they joined us. We learned others had seen her in the same neighborhood at 4 and 4:30.

Neighbors in our HOA area and across where she was spotted were carrying an extra leash in the hopes of spotting her and convincing her to come with them. We thanked them and asked that they just not chase her or approach as she might be spooked. We got another report of her headed to a different part of the neighborhood. Headed there but no dice.

After 9 as it was getting dark, a neighbor down the street from me saw her come into our development but when she got to my street she turned right instead of left. Two other people saw her but she was headed back across the street to the other side. That was the last we heard for the night.

When they alarm went off at 5, we got up to go again. When it became clear she wasn't popping out before the rush to work began we started to regroup.

We got in touch with a canine tracking group while others plastered posters. We began to work on setting up feeding stations. We were just getting our game plan for the new search arrivals when we got a call...a young man across in the "other" neighborhood where Gilly was spotted had JUST seen her. We ran to the car as more help was arriving. We all drove over and ran into the guy who called. He walked me over to where he'd seen her and told me that she saw him and the dog he was walking and got spooked and went the other way. Bless him he took his dog back home, called us and waited for us.

Everyone spread out over there and unbeknownst to me, he headed into the woods around the creek. We were warned not to go into wooded areas and the creek because that's likely her safe place and we wouldn't want to drive her out to a more dangerous area.

I walked and walked around, calling her. Nothing. We drove around. Then he called again. He was in the creek and he could see her. We said please just leave her be but keep an eye on her if you can. He said no problem she's not moving. I'm just staying here.

Got over to the area but could not for the life of me figure out how he got there. He was through a bunch of brush but I just couldn't get in. Finally...FINALLY I realized another searcher had gotten there too. She heard me and came back to get me while he watched Gilly. We got through the path and to the creek. There was no way through without wading in. We came around and he pointed under a bush and there, she was!

She was laying in a tight ball, looking out at us. She was a little on edge, but didn't seem at all frightened by people being relatively near. I just started talking to Gilly and knelt down by her. She began to perk up as she recognized my voice and slowly began to wag her tail.

I got the leash on her and she tried to get up but was caught in branches. I freed her enough from the branches and picked her up and got her out.

This guy was Gilly's ANGEL. When he found her he did everything we needed for me to be able to get to her.

We got her to the vet. She was limping and had relatively little foliage in her all things considered. Nothing majorly wrong--just some soreness so she'll be resting quite a bit.

We got her home where she was so happy to be. Her tail keeps wagging and she's full of kisses.

I cannot accurately express my gratitude to everyone who has helped us in any and every capacity. So many people helped with signs, spreading the word all over, helping us look and offering to help with a reward. It was incredible."

Map where Gilly was found: