If you’re following me on Twitter, Facebook, or any other social network, chances are you knew that last week, my dog Diesel went missing. He disappeared from my front yard Wednesday night, and by Thursday morning I had lost “ads” posted everywhere I could think of online. We visited the shelter everyday. By Saturday afternoon, I’d hit every vet, Walmart, gas station, restaurant, etc. within 15 miles of my house with flyers. Michael and I drove and walked around the neighborhood numerous times, but by Saturday morning, we still had no luck. I was devastated and freaking out.

Luckily for us, around 10pm Saturday night we got the call I’d been waiting for. Diesel was about a half mile away from our house, at an older couple’s house. They’d had him locked in their fenced yard since Thursday night, but they couldn’t get him to come to them to read his tag.

Side note: Diesel, a purebred American Pit Bull Terrier, was a dog I rescued from a very sketchy situation at 4 months old. Already past his prime socialization point, he was a dog I spent an extreme amount of time (and money) training and molding to become the dog he is today. While he’s made leaps and bounds in the socialization department, he still has a hard time trusting those he doesn’t know. He needs mommy’s “go ahead” to really accept most people. (Note: he’s not mean by any standard…in the “fight or flight” scenario, Diesel just runs.)

So how did they find me? Not from his tag, the microchip implanted above his shoulder blade, or the hundreds of signs posted around town…Their next door neighbors happened to check Craigslist and found my ad (with photo, description, and phone number).

In my opinion, this is an amazing example of how powerful the internet is. Without a tool like Craigslist, would I have my dog back? How many extra days would it have taken?

Another remarkable story here…is the support I received via Twitter and Facebook. After tweeting that Diesel was missing, over 100 people retweeted, and even more @ed and DMed to see how they could help or to just offer their prayers and well-wishes. On Facebook, I received similar support. It was amazing to me that people all over the country were worried about my dog. Even the follow-up amazed me, as people I’ve run into here in Knoxville have been asking about D, along with friends online.

It really goes to show how social media allows friendships to form like they never have before. I love it! (And a big thanks to all those who were worried about Diesel, I really appreciated everything!)

So for anyone who’s interested: How is Diesel doing now? Sometime during the span of time he was missing, he was hit by a car. Fortunately for us and for him, no bones were broken. The road rash was pretty bad, but he’s well on his way to recovery. And for all the pain we assume he’s feeling, he’s taking it very well and has been wagging his tail ever since he’s been home. He lost 7lbs during the fiasco, but after a steak dinner and numerous bowls of dog food, he’s starting to plump back up just fine. All in all, I think we got very lucky that his injuries were minor and that he’s home safe and sound