Missing dog turns up 600 miles from home

Deacon the German shepherd survived journey from Virginia to Florida

About two weeks before Christmas, Deacon, an 85-pound German shepherd, went missing from his family home in rural Stuart, Va.

During the first couple of days, Pamela Holt, her husband Keith, and their daughter Brooklyn, 3, weren't terribly worried because they figured their nearly 2-year-old pet was running in the fields behind their home.

"We have a lot of land and thought Deacon might be enjoying the outdoors," Holt, who works as a teller for SunTrust bank, tells PEOPLEPets.com. "But we soon got worried and called the area dog warden, the pound and the sheriff's office. After two weeks, we gave up, fearing he had died or was stolen."

About two weeks before Christmas, Deacon, an 85-pound German shepherd, went missing from his family home in rural Stuart, Va.

During the first couple of days, Pamela Holt, her husband Keith, and their daughter Brooklyn, 3, weren't terribly worried because they figured their nearly 2-year-old pet was running in the fields behind their home.

"We have a lot of land and thought Deacon might be enjoying the outdoors," Holt, who works as a teller for SunTrust bank, tells PEOPLEPets.com. "But we soon got worried and called the area dog warden, the pound and the sheriff's office. After two weeks, we gave up, fearing he had died or was stolen."

Deacon, a gift from Holt to her husband Keith, a teacher and football coach, had become a beloved family member, and everyone was upset. But a curious call in late February from a man in Deland, Fla., changed everything.

"A male voice on the other end said he thought he may have Deacon," Holt tells PEOPLEPets.com. "I was angry at first and thought he was a prankster trying to play a joke on us ... I nearly hung up on him."

The man, who said he was from Animal Control in Deland, told Holt he was looking at her dog. Holt said she thought Deacon was dead. But when he asked her if the dog's name was Bruno, Holt went crazy with joy.

"I was speechless," she says. "The dog was originally called Bruno when he was micro chipped, so I knew this was not a hoax. When the man emailed me a picture, and I knew it was Deacon, I called my husband. We were so thrilled that we drove 10 hours to Florida to pick him up."

The Holts believe Deacon was stolen by people who had hoped to breed him, but they were unaware that he had been fixed so it was a waste of time. And somehow, the dog ended up in the Sunshine State for the holidays.

"Deacon was in a pen with another dog when he saw us," Holt recalls. "He trampled the poor thing to get to us. He ran to my husband and jumped on him. He was so excited."

The following day, when they got back to Virginia after the 600 mile drive, Deacon ran directly over to the outside window of Brooklyn's bedroom, hoping to see her.

"He cried and cried until she got home," Holt says. "Once he saw her, he was so happy!"

Even though there is no leash law in their area, the family has vowed to tie their dog in the yard so nothing ever happens again.

"We are blessed to have Deacon back," Holt says. "And will do what we must to keep him safe and sound."

 

Potenza survived!

TOM CAT POTENZA SURVIVED AGAIN AFTER  SMASHED BY A SPEEDY CAR

                                                                   

I found a kitten three years back on the road side, at that time it was lying unconscious,firstly I thought it dead but on close look that kitten was breathing very slowly and I sensed through it's tummy movement,being a cat lover, I love cats and have many ones at home and on streets, I and my sister took that kitten to the doctor, there it was operated,lost one of it's ear, ribs were also broken and one of it's front leg was just hanging, it took three months of extensive care then that kitten began to move, I named it POTENZA.  

   As time passed Potenza recovered fully and became a full grown tom cat, a week ago when their mating season started potenza was fighting with another cat and was chasing in the street, when a car hit him again thank God no serious injuries this time, after having bed rest for two/three days, again on the road, Potenza loves fighting,spraying it's scent on the walls and fences claiming it's territory.Good luck Potenza!  

Liverpool schoolchildren's bus driver dies at wheel

The driver of a coach carrying Liverpool schoolchildren home from a skiing trip has suffered a fatal heart attack at the wheel.

The 34-strong party from West Derby Comprehensive were returning through Germany from a skiing trip in Austria when the coach span out of control.
It ploughed into the central reservation of a motorway in Karlsruhe.
No-one else was injured and the staff and pupils stayed overnight in a nearby Red Cross centre.
The vehicle was on hire from Newcastle-based Keiths Coaches.
It is understood the driver had worked for them for many years and was very experienced.

It is astonishing and miraculous that they were not injured Headteacher Margaret Rannard

Keith Grimes, Managing Director of the coach company, said: "At this time my main concern is with the safe return of the children to school that are currently on route to Calais with a fellow coach operator from Germany."
He thanked German and Northumbria Police for their help and said the Red Cross had provided food, drinks and bedding for the children.
Headteacher Margaret Rannard said all parents have been informed and a replacement coach was bringing the children home.
"It is astonishing and miraculous that they were not injured. My thoughts go out to the family of the driver.
"He was one of two drivers that took the students around all week and they got to know him.
"It's terribly, terribly sad," she said.
The pupils, aged between 14 and 18, are due back in the country on Thursday morning.