WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — In a heartwarming turn of events just in time for Christmas, a 4-year-old German Shepherd and Husky mix named Athena returned to her family in Green Cove Springs, Florida, after going missing for nearly a week. On December 15, while her family attended church, Athena managed to escape from her home, prompting an extensive search effort among the local community and surrounding areas.
Brooke Comer, Athena’s owner, was devastated when she received a message from a neighbor that included a photo of her beloved pet outside their home. In a state of panic, her family rushed back only to discover that Athena’s collar was still in her crate and there appeared to be no means by which she could have exited the house. To this day, how Athena escaped remains a mystery.
Over the course of the following week, the search became an incredible journey filled with hope and support from neighbors and community members who responded to missing dog ads. They shared videos and photos of Athena sightings, which indicated that she might have traveled nearly 20 miles (32 kilometers) during her time away.
Each time Comer received a tip, her family would hurriedly rush to the sighting location, only to remain disappointed as their searches yielded no results. “She was the hide-and-seek all-time grand champion,” Comer reflected, expressing her emotional roller coaster. “With every sighting my heart jumped, and it honestly was excitement and then your heart’s crushed because we were always one step behind.”
The experience of searching for Athena proved to be incredibly stressful, as Comer worried about her dog’s safety and the potential difficulties she might be facing as a timid animal. All that worry turned to joy at 2:30 a.m. on Christmas Eve when Comer received a notification from her Ring doorbell camera, accompanied by her other dog barking in excitement.
“I was kind of like in a daze, and the dog was barking, and as soon as I heard that ring, I looked at my phone, and you could see in the video it was Athena and she was jumping at the door, ringing the doorbell,” Comer recounted, overwhelmed with emotion.
Upon opening the door, Athena hurried inside and joyfully ran to lick her son’s face, who was drowsily lounging on the couch. After their heartfelt reunion, she quickly seized her favorite ball for a play session before retiring to her crate for a well-deserved nap.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Comer expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support from neighbors and the community in their week-long search for Athena. Moving forward, they plan to take Athena for a thorough veterinary examination, including flea and tick treatments, and have her microchipped for added security in the future.
