Disabled dog missing 10 months is reunited with owner

EAST ST. LOUIS, Illinois (AP) - A dog that disappeared from a yard in rural Missouri 10 months ago has been reunited with her owner on New Year's Day.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Athena was recovering from amputation surgery when she went missing from the yard of her owner, Dylan Summers, in the town of Bourbon.

In early December, an East St. Louis, Illinois, pet rescue called Gateway Pet Guardians took in Athena after she and several other dogs were confiscated from a St. Clair County property.

A friend of Summers saw Athena's photo, under the name Miss-A-Toe, on the Gateway web site while looking for a dog to adopt and notified Summers.

'œShe is already settled back in at home, and it's like she never left,'ť said Summers.

The reunion solved some questions, explained Alisha Vianello, the program director for Gateway, which is located more than an hour from Summers' home.

'œEveryone involved in her rescue had been so puzzled as to how a dog who not only was spayed but was also healthy and had received a life saving surgery was on the property with other dogs who seemed likely to have never received veterinary care,'ť she said. 'œAll the missing pieces really came together when I spoke to Dylan.'ť