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QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. - Reunited and it feels so good. After nine months apart, a Queen Creek family and their dog are back together again. The Australian Shepherd, Huckleberry, ran away on New Year's Eve and the family has been searching ever since.
Huckleberry was found in a landfill 20 miles away from the family's home. They never gave up hope. Every day they talked about him, hoping he would turn up. And this week, their dreams came true.
For the first time in nine months, Huckleberry and his family ran and embraced each other like no time had passed.
"When he finally recognized us at the landfill, that was a moment I will never forget," said Cheryl Smith. "Huckleberry was on his back, jumping and whining and up in his arms."
Huckleberry an away from his family's home in Queen Creek on New Year's Eve after getting startled by fireworks.
"[It was] the hardest nine months of my life," said Eddie Baldenegro. "Not knowing where he was was killing me."
But his family kept searching for him. They never gave up - they were just hoping he had found a new family.
Then they finally got a tip this week. Huckleberry was at a landfill 20 miles away from their house. The workers said he would show up there every day and they would lay out food for him. When Cheryl and Eddie arrived, he was hesitant. Then, all of a sudden, he recognized his parents. Now, they're all together again and the family says they're never letting go.
As for this upcoming New Year's Eve, they're going to keep a close eye on him so he doesn't escape.