A dog has been reunited with its owner 37 days after it was struck by a drunk driver and went missing.
Chessie, an 11-month Chesapeake Bay retriever, was struck by a drunk driver on Dec. 13 in Orange. The dog then ran off into the woods.
"it was very heartbreaking. But his will to survive was incredible," said owner John Greenwood.
That night, rescuers used thermal imaging cameras to search for the dog but could not find the canine.
"We really had lost hope after a month due to these cold temperatures," said Greenwood.
However, authorities later got a lead on Chessie’s whereabouts.
Authorities say when they arrived in a back yard where Chessie had been spotted, the description of the dog matched Chessie’s. Chessie had been found on a frozen pond.
Greenwood was ecstatic to get his dog back.
"It was a miracle," he said.
Chessie had an infection with his hip.
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