Oscar the donkey disappeared mysteriously two years ago.
This week he returned out of nowhere, and his owner identified him in the most unusual way — by offering him a can of Dr Pepper.
Oscar the donkey, owned by Hershel Pearson, helped keep wild hogs away from Pearson's ranch, located about eight miles outside of Springtown, Texas. Donkeys make surprisingly good watchdogs, and Oscar did his job well.
His strange love for Dr Pepper started back when Oscar was a foal. Pearson placed his open can of Dr Pepper on a bench, where Oscar found it, knocked it over, and began to drink, apparently liking the taste.
After that, whenever he was drinking Dr Pepper, Pearson would offer the donkey a sip, and it soon it was Oscar's favorite beverage.
Then one day, two years ago, Pearson came outside and Oscar wasn't there to greet him. Pearson searched for him, checked with neighbors and even contacted the Wise County pound, but the donkey seemed to have disappeared without a trace.
In an interview with NBC 5, Pearson said:
"I don't know if he was on a space mission or went to the moon or what. There ain't no explanation that I can come up with."
Then this week — two years after went gone missing — Oscar reappeared. He was unharmed, and besides needing his hooves trimmed, was in good health. To make sure that it was really Oscar, Pearson opened a can of Dr Pepper, and the donkey began drinking it, just like always.
"I just felt like I was going to faint," Pearson said. "I couldn't believe he showed back up."
Pearson still has no idea how or why Oscar left. But he has a guess as to why he came home.
"Oh, I don't know. He probably missed the Dr Pepper," Pearson said.
What do you think of Oscar's story? Share your thoughts below.
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