Credit: Facebook How far would you go to find your dog if he got lost? Most puppy parents would probably go to the ends of the earth. But here’s an even better question: how far would your dog go to find you? In the case of a shepherd mix named Simba in California, the answer is a whopping 22 miles! Not only that, but this loyal dog waited for his family to return from a trip for two weeks. Simba’s actions really show how much our dogs love us. And thankfully, his family was willing to go just as far to show him love in return. Simba’s Family Had To Take A Trip Simba’s incredible story, reports The Dodo, began when his human mom and dad had a family emergency and had to leave home unexpectedly. Being good dog parents, they hired a dogsitter to take care of Simba while they were away. Despite the best of intentions, Simba ran out of an open door just after his family left. The dogsitter called the family and they came home right away, but Simba was nowhere to be found. At least, not within twenty miles. It turns out, beachgoers in another community had spotted a lone dog on their beach. He appeared to be waiting for someone and wouldn’t let anyone approach. The dog was Simba, now completely lost and waiting on the beach for his beloved family to find him. Unfortunately, Simba kept running further down the beach anytime someone tried to get close to him. People began posting on social media about the stray dog, which caught a local rescuer’s attention. A Dog Rescuer Steps In To Help Credit: Instagram Suzette Hall, who rescues dogs under the banner of Logan’s Legacy, couldn’t turn a blind eye to poor Simba’s situation. Hall drove to the beach and set up a crate trap where the dog had been sleeping. She waited for Simba to come to the crate, which she had filled with treats. But Simba was scared and it was pouring rain when Suzette set the trap. He was jumpy and ran away again, and no amount of snacks could lure him back. Luckily, a neighbor told Suzette that he’d seen the dog sleeping in his garage the night before. He told Hall that she was welcome to set up the trap crate there in case Simba came back. Together, they set the crate up in the neighbor’s garage and began to wait again. But once again, the lost dog didn’t take the bait. Hall refused to give up. She heard that people saw Simba walking on the beach again, so Hall reset her crate there. Shortly after, another neighbor came forward and said they thought this dog might be Simba! Simba’s Family Finally Gets Good News Finally, Hall got in touch with Simba’s family. Hall told Simba’s dad where he was and without hesitation, he drove over 20 miles to reunite with his dog. Simba had been missing for two weeks. He was alone, scared, and confused. To his dad’s dismay, Simba didn’t respond when his dad called out his name. Hall suspected the two weeks apart had been long enough for Simba to lose recognition of just his dad’s voice. So, she asked him to try something else. “What’s something that he recognizes besides your voice?” Hall says she asked the dog dad. As it happens, the sound of his truck coming down the street on his way home always got Simba excited. It was the missing piece of the puzzle. Hall told Simba’s dad to start up his truck. The second the engine sounded, Simba perked up from the beach. “He went running to that truck,” Hall told The Dodo, “wiggling his tail and jumping up and down.” A Joyful Reunion Credit: Facebook After weeks of separation, Simba and his family were together again. The reunion brought Hall to tears, according to the Logan’s Legacy Instagram, where she called it “a complete miracle reunion.” Everybody involved in Simba’s amazing story showed so much love and dedication. Hall never stopped trying to help this poor lost dog that she didn’t even know. Simba’s family came home as soon as they learned Simba was missing. His dad never thought twice about driving over twenty miles to get him. And, of course, there’s Simba, who tried to follow his family on their trip. Not only that, but he traveled miles and miles to be with them again. Credit: Facebook Simba is truly the epitome of a loyal dog, and his family is certainly glad to have him back.
