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I was hoping and praying that I would be able to write this column, but for two days, I wasn’t sure how this story would end.

We found Festus for the first time when we were looking for a calm, gentle dog to join our family.

We read about Festus on the Mower County Humane Society website. He was found sitting on the side of the road near Lansing, Minnesota. He was skin and bones.  Two hunters saw him and thought they should shoot him to put him out of his misery.  Festus must have a guardian angel because a woman suddenly appeared and said she would take the dog to the Humane Society.

After a certain number of days, we were able to adopt him because nobody came to claim him.

He had gained a few pounds with the help of the dedicated staff at the Mower County Humane Society, but he still needed to gain a lot of weight to look healthy.

After six months he gained about 20 pounds.  He looked great!  We think he is around 12 years old, but he is strong.

One early morning about a week ago Festus left our yard. We think he must have been chasing a deer or a rabbit.

For two days friends,family and caring residents of Austin looked for him. The Facebook post was shared by over 400 people.

I was afraid for his safety. The first day he was gone was the warmest day we have had this summer.  The second day it rained a lot, and he is afraid of storms. On the third day I was giving up hope, but my husband decided to go look in the woods near our house again.

He walked into the woods close to the river and there was Festus! He was caught in some brush, but he was unharmed.

Tears of joy filled my eyes when I learned he was found.

Welcome home Festus! We missed you so much!