Woman loses dog — then spots him on TV 3 years later

"I cried. I was overwhelmed with joy. It felt like a dream.” No Images? [Click here]( July 17, 2018 Good morning! Today we have a dog who was reunited with his mom, a possum with a sweet tooth and some toads who got their own hotel. 1. Woman Loses Dog — Then Spots Him On TV 3 Years Later Photo Credit: Best Friends Animal Society Since Dodger was a puppy, Lucy Fraustro knew he was special — his large white head seemed out of proportion with his tiny body, and his wide smile stretched from ear to ear. So when Dodger suddenly went missing from her yard in October 2015, Fraustro was heartbroken. “I went outside to feed my dogs and they were nowhere to be found,” Fraustro told The Dodo. “I called all my friends and family to help me look for them. We put up flyers around the neighborhood. I drove to different shelters around my area, but I had no luck.” Fraustro didn’t want to believe that her dogs were really gone, but after two months of visiting shelters, she finally gave up. “I thought I'd never see my dogs again,” Fraustro said. “When they left, they took a piece of my heart with them. I never replaced my dogs because losing them was too painful.” But nearly three years later, Dodger returned to Fraustro’s life just as suddenly as he had left it. Early on July 4, Fraustro was watching "Good Day L.A.," a local morning show, when a segment came on the air promoting free adoptions through Best Friends Animal Society called Pay It Forward. One of the dogs featured was a gray and white pit bull named Butler. Fraustro immediately recognized the large, white head and wide grin. Photo Credit: Danny Bress “When I first saw Dodger on TV I couldn't believe it,” Fraustro said. “I screamed, ‘Oh my God! That's Dodger! That's my dog! Oh my God!’” Fraustro logged onto Best Friends Animal Society's website scanning the adoptable pups until she found a photo of the pit bull she'd seen on TV. “After comparing pictures, I knew I had to pay them a visit,” Fraustro said. “I drove almost an hour to get there. I had butterflies in my stomach the whole way over.” Over the course of his years-long stay at the shelter, Dodger had become one of the most beloved dogs there. No one could understand why it was taking him so long to find a forever home. Dodger had been adopted a month before, but was recently returned due to conflicts with the adopter’s landlord. When the shelter staffers chose Dodger to be featured that morning they had hoped the publicity would help the dog finally find a family — but no one could’ve guessed just how amazing his adoption would be. Fraustro herself couldn’t believe the reunion was real. “When I saw him for the first time I cried. I was overwhelmed with joy,” Fraustro said. “It felt like a dream.” Just hours after Dodger’s TV appearance, the smiley dog was finally leaving the shelter for good. It's only been a week since their emotional reunion, but Dodger has adjusted quickly to his new “old” life, and is letting his personality shine. “He was a little shy the first day back home, but now he's getting used to us,” Fraustro said. “He loves hugs, cuddles and belly rubs. He's great with little kids. I'm so lucky to have a dog like him.” Now that Dodger has miraculously found his way back home, his family is never letting him out of their sights again. “Having Dodger back in my life feels like a piece of my heart came back,” Fraustro added. “I feel like the luckiest girl alive.” 2. Little Animal With Sweet Tooth Gets Head Stuck In Nutella Jar Photo Credit: RSPCA Queensland Sometimes, having a sweet tooth can get you into trouble. That was the problem for one little possum in Loganholme, Australia, earlier this month when he stumbled upon an open jar of Nutella that someone had thrown away. Hoping to get a taste of what was left in the jar, he stuck his head inside — and then couldn’t get it back out. A man walking his dog saw the struggling critter, and knew right away he needed help. Brushtail possums typically eat sweet eucalyptus, flowers and fruits — so it was no surprise he wanted to snack on the sweet hazelnut spread. The man called the local RSPCA and wildlife officer Chantel Sibilla was on the scene to help the troubled animal within minutes. “I wanted to call him Nutty the moment I saw him there,” she told The Jimboomba Times. “You know you have a problem when you end up in a situation like that.” Sibilla put some grease around the neck of the jar and gently twisted it off from around the possum’s head. There’s no way of knowing how long the little guy had been stuck — but if it had been much longer, he likely wouldn’t have made it. Photo Credit: RSPCA Queensland “The most amazing thing was the way he tried to help me out, grabbing the jar with his little paws so he helped me lever it off,” Sibilla said. “Possums can scream and carry on, but not this little guy. He seemed perfectly happy where he was.” Sibilla wrapped the possum in a towel and brought him to the animal hospital for a checkup. They had to make sure he wasn’t injured or dehydrated from his sticky run-in before releasing him back to the wild. Many animals who get trapped in litter aren’t nearly as fortunate. Luckily, this possum was found at just the right moment. He’s now back in his forest home after the ordeal — and hopefully, he’ll stick to his regular snacks from now on. 3. Dog Is Obsessed With Toads — So Her Family Builds Toad 'Hotel' In Backyard Photo Credit: Shelby Pittsley Chloe was adopted into her family from a big public shelter when she was just 4 weeks old. She was very sick and fragile when she first arrived in her new home, and her mom spent a lot of time nursing her back to health. Before long, Chloe blossomed into a friendly, lovable little beagle mix who loves all living creatures — especially toads. After all Chloe went through so early on in her life, she seems to have a special appreciation for life and a love for others, and as soon as she discovered all the toads living in her backyard, she was absolutely mesmerized. Her three rescue dog siblings aren’t as fascinated by the toads, but Chloe could watch them for hours and spends time with them whenever she gets the chance. “She loves watching them swim and hop,” Shelby Pittsley, Chloe’s mom, told The Dodo. “She knows not to stomp on them or nibble them; she just enjoys watching them. Sometimes she casually walks on the side of them and follows them wherever they hop to. Every night at 9:30 exactly, little Chloe can be found scratching at our back door hoping to play with some toads. On nights when there are no toads to be found, Chloe becomes depressed, sulking in the middle of the yard.” There are two pools in the backyard for the family’s four dogs to play in, and recently, Pittsley noticed that the toads happen to love the pools as well. Since the toads were spending so much time in the pools, Pittsley created a “toad hotel” specifically for them. Photo Credit: Shelby Pittsley Pittsley took the pool that the toads seemed to love the most and began constructing a floor plan, trying to take into account what she thought the toads of her yard would consider their “must-haves” for a new home. “They needed easy access in and out of the pool, water to swim in, dirt to hide in, and plants for shade,” Pittsley said. “I also made dirt mounds which extended over the rim of the pool, so the toads could hop in and out at any time.” As soon as it was finished, Pittsley put the new “toad-tel” out for all to enjoy (in a spot under some bushes where birds couldn’t bother them), and on the opening night, 12 toads came and hung out in it. Now, there are toads coming and going from the pool hotel all the time. Not only do the toads love it, but Chloe is a huge fan of the toad hotel as well. “To this day you can find the toads resting at the toad-tel,” Pittsley said. “They have really formed their own family.” This Dog Just Wants To Hug Everyone In NYC [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( The Dodo 100 Crosby St., 201 New York, NY 10012 [Forward]( [Unsubscribe](