A ten-year-old boy has been reunited with his dog two months after he slipped his leash and went missing.
Bruiser went running after rabbits during a walk on January 4 and didn’t return to his home near Fort Meade, Florida.
Video footage taken on his mother’s phone shows the sweet moment Tyler Bandy was reunited with his dog when he bounded towards him in the kitchen of their home.
Tyler’s mother Bandy revealed the family had started ‘to lose hope’ their dog would ever be found after all their efforts to track him down failed.
Video footage taken on his mother’s phone shows Tyler Bandy, 10, being reunited with Bruiser when the dog bounds over to him in the kitchen of their home near Fort Meade, Florida
The family posted on Facebook, left clothes carrying their scent out near their home and stuck flyers up promising a reward to anyone who found Bruiser.
On March 4, Bandy said Highlands County Animal Control called with the news their dog had been brought in.
Tyler’s mother didn’t tell her son the dog was returning home so his reaction was one of total surprise.
As Bruiser ran towards him, Tyler threw his snack on the counter and fell to his knees to give the animal a hug as he said his dog’s name in disbelief.
Tyler’s parents held Bruiser back as Tyler walked up the steps. When they let the dog go he ran full pelt towards the 10-year-old
Bruiser’s tail wags ferociously as he licks Tyler’s face during the adorable reunion
Bruiser’s tail wagged ferociously as he licked Tyler’s face during the adorable reunion.
As Tyler looked up towards the camera the worry of the last two months fell in tears down his cheeks and he wailed as Bruiser lay in his lap to comfort him.
Highlands Country Sheriff’s Office shared the video online with the caption: ‘Here is a special treat to send you into the weekend crying some happy tears.’
They added: ‘A couple of months ago, a family who lives near Fort Meade lost their dog after he ran off chasing a rabbit.
‘Despite making all efforts to find him – Facebook posts, calling Animal Control and Animal Services, leaving a towel outside so he may catch the scent, etc – they could not find him.
As Tyler looks up towards the camera the worry of the last two months falls in tears down his cheeks and he wails as Bruiser lays in his lap to comfort him
‘Two months to the day after he was lost, they had pretty much given up hope of ever seeing their dog again. That’s when the phone rang.
‘Turns out their dog had been picked up by somebody on their way to Highlands County and, after a couple of months, it wound up in the hands of our Animal Services folks.
‘Teri Dosil at Animal Services thought the dog looked familiar and started digging through Facebook posts. Sure enough, it was the same dog.
‘His name is Bruiser. To say Bruiser had a joyous homecoming would be putting it lightly.
‘Tyler, who is 10, was simply overcome when his parents surprised him with his best friend. The two have been inseparable since then.’