Sask. dog scared away by fireworks on Canada Day weekend is now home

A couple from Tisdale, Sask., are rejoicing now that their missing golden doodle has returned home after a long 10 days without him.

Payton Gessner, and her partner Tsar Hester went to Fishing Lake, about 170 kilometres northeast of Regina, with their five-year-old dog Merv to get away over Canada day weekend. They say they've done it many times before, but this time it was different.

Gessner, Hester and Merv were sitting on the deck enjoying the evening before the scheduled fireworks on Saturday, June 28. Disaster struck around 10:30 p.m.

"We're just putting [Merv] inside because he does get a little timid and scared with the fireworks," Gessner said.

"He got really worked up when they first started. They were pretty loud and abrupt for the first going, and so he kind of darted back and forth on our deck and then jumped right off the back."

As soon as Merv jumped, they couldn't see him anymore.

"We immediately started looking around, and calling him. But the fireworks spooked him so much that I don't think any calling would have brought him back," she said.

Hester said the couple started searching around a nearby row of lakefront cabins and trailers.

"We were looking under trailers and stuff to start with, and then riding in the truck, and we drove down 310 south and looked and called him until it was late," he said.

The couple searched the area for days before having to return home to Tisdale, but before leaving they put posters on bulletin boards within a 60 kilometre radius and spread the word to as many people as possible. It worked. 

Gessner said a man who is not from the area saw a dog who matched Merv's description running close to K.C. Beach, west of where they originally thought he went.

"He just opened the door and up Merv jumped into his truck," she said. "He didn't have a collar on. He was pretty dirty, pretty swamp smelling from the marshes and the water. He definitely lost a few pounds and was exhausted."

Hester was just finishing a baseball game when they got the call that Merv was found. He said it was surreal, but that they had never lost hope. 

The couple drove out to Fishing Lake and reunited with Merv on Tuesday night. 

"I don't know if he's more excited than us or not," said Gessner. "I think we were all just vibrating with excitement that we were all together again."

The couple took him to veterinarian to get him looked at. 

"We did notice that he lost some weight and he was covered in almost two dozen ticks," she said. 

The vet put Merv on a high-protein diet. He has sore paws from being on hot pavement and other surfaces, but is recovering at home now and in high spirits. 

"The support we received was monumental," Gessner said. "I wouldn't have ever expected or thought that you have so many people in your corner for your best friend."

Hester said keeping a positive mindset really helped and that anyone with a lost dog should stay strong.

"Keep positive. That was the Number 1 thing," he said.