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Tiny, Deaf Maltese Returns Safely After Being Snatched By Hawk

Written by: Scott H
Scott Haiduc is the Director of Publishing for iHeartDogs, iHeartCats and The Hero Company. When not working, Scott spends his time on the farm, taking care of his animals and crops.Read more
| Published on August 24, 2016

As crazy as the headline sounds, it’s exactly what happened. Petey is a tiny, deaf, 6-pound Maltese that is lucky to be alive. First, he was adopted four years ago by a loving couple who fell in love with him regardless of his disability. Luke and Amber Miller were able to look past Petey’s special needs and give him the forever home he deserves. Along with their other dog, Topper, the four were a perfectly happy family.

That is until August 19th. On this day, Petey and Topper were at home with their trusted pet-sitter, Marie. The Millers were out of town and left their pups in Marie’s loving care. It was a regular summer afternoon until a hawk swooped down and picked Petey up right out of the yard. Marie watched, shocked and helpless, as the bird of prey carried Petey towards 40 acres of swampland near the property.

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Image source: Luke Miller

Marie wasn’t willing to go down without a fight. She contacted the Millers, obviously distraught, and advised those she knew in the area and posted on social media. The response was overwhelming. Their friend Denise from Dogs Deserve Better, from which Petey was adopted, gathered up her family and assisted in the search for the missing pup.

Denise and Marie even contacted a local ornithologist (a bird expert) to find out where the hawk may have taken Petey. Unfortunately, their search was uneventful. Poor Petey was missing and they didn’t know where he was. That is, until he wandered onto Marie’s neighbor’s back porch! Yep – Petey walked himself to a neighbor’s house without even so much as a scratch on him!

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Image source: Denise Hewins Cohn

Petey’s story might sound unbelievable, but it’s certainly true. This deaf pup was snatched by a hungry hawk that likely decided he was far to big to carry and eat. Then, left somewhere in the nearby swampland, Petey was able to find his way back into the neighborhood. It’s a miracle this pooch is still alive, but we’re so happy to see he and his family back together again! Hopefully he’ll be able to keep all four paws on the ground safely in the future.

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Image source: Luke Miller

 

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