The Kubacki family's beloved Lulu, a blind golden retriever, disappeared from their Alaska home on June 18. For three weeks, they felt the heartbreaking absence of their four-legged family member. "She means everything," Ted Kubacki told The Associated Press. "I have five daughters and they're 4 to 13 years old, so they've spent every day of their life with that dog."
Just when the Kubacki's hope was dwindling, they received a call. A construction crew in Sitka, Alaska discovered Lulu hidden in a salmonberry bush at the bottom of an embankment. At first, the team confused her for a bear—but they soon realized that the elderly pooch was in need of help. Kubacki recalls being alerted of the good news. "I called my wife from work and it was just screaming... She just starts yelling, then she yells to the kids. And I just hear them screaming like crazy," he said.
While the family was overjoyed to finally reunite with Lulu, it was difficult to see their girl in such bad shape. Lulu returned 23 pounds lighter with a dirty, matted coat. "I just expected to come back and be like 'Hey, here's my dog.' She's going to jump up and wag her tail and kiss my face, and she couldn't even pick up her head," Kubacki said. "She'd been through the wringer."
Thankfully, Lulu's health has significantly improved since she was found. The family's supportive community pitched in hundreds of dollars to help cover her veterinarian bills. Resting, eating, and, of course, quality time with her humans has allowed the golden retriever to regain her strength and recover from her terrifying experience.
"Yesterday, she propped herself up on her front paws by herself, like nestled into me and gave me a kiss and wagged her tail and it was just so great," said Kubacki. It sounds like someone's happy to be home!
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