Dog GONE

'Twas the day after Christmas

And all through the town,

They searched and they searched

But she couldn't be found. 

Dear Midgey had wandered

Away from her home,

And now she was out there

Cold, scared and alone!

Poor Midgey's half blind,

And half deaf and she's old. 

How could she survive

In the snow and the cold??

She roamed and she rambled

No doubt full of fear. 

In hopes that her family 

Soon would appear. 

But try as they may 

And try as they might,

Old Midgey was lost

Many days and cold nights!

Then just when it seemed 

As if all hope was fading,

Along came the message 

On which they'd been waiting.

Dear Midgey was found 

Many miles from her home

Running down airport road

That's how far she had roamed

'Twas thanks to a kind

Caring soul she was found

And soon she was back 

In her home safe and sound. 

And with a howl session

To say she's all right

Happy New Year to all

And to all a good night!

2020 was, in many ways, a lousy year. From the COVID-19 pandemic with its devastating human and economic losses, to wildfires in the U.S. and Australia, to toilet paper shortages and murder hornets. Let's just say most folks were happy to bid a not-so-fond farewell to the past year. 

For one local family, however, what could have been a holiday season filled with heartache, turned into a joyous celebration as the year came to a close. 

     This is the story of Midget, the chihuahua, who lives with Amber and Brandon Seymour, and Amber's children, Jason, Gianna, Killian and Freya. 

"Midgey," as she is affectionately known to her family, is somewhere between 15 and 17 years old, although her exact age is unknown. According to the American Kennel Club, that would mean Midgey is roughly 80 in human years! She is also partially blind and partially deaf. I mention these things because they make her story all the more miraculous. But first, a little background on our tiny traveler. 

Midgey was rescued around 10 years ago by Amber Seymour's aunt, the late Tammy Baber, after Tammy's son, Kellyn saw some other kids setting her on fire! According to Seymour, Kellyn grabbed Midgey and jumped into a pool to put out the flames on Midgey's back even though he didn't know how to swim. The fur where she was burned never grew back. Midgey then lived with the Babers until Tammy passed away in June of 2020. Over the years, Seymour's daughter, Gianna, spent a lot of time at Baber's house and became very close with Midgey. When Baber passed away, Amber Seymour and her family took Midgey into their home as part of their family. As Seymour puts it, Midgey and Gianna are "besties."

Fast forward to Christmas Day, not quite two weeks ago. After the traditional Christmas morning activities were over, Midgey was let outside.  According to Seymour, they don't have a fenced yard but Midgey had always gone outside, done her business, and barked twice to come in. On Christmas Day, however, about the time Midgey went outside, some other family members arrived. After they came inside, everyone assumed that Midgey had come in too. Unfortunately she hadn't. At some point, she simply wandered off, thus beginning her perilous, five day ordeal. 

Of course, once Midgey's family realized she was gone, they were in a panic and immediately began searching for her.  They looked all night on Christmas and all the next day, when they posted a lost dog notice on the Kimball Area Pet Search Facebook group. Midgey was seen the day after Christmas in two different locations, but that would be the last time anyone would see her until four full days later. Other people helped look for her during that time but to no avail. 

Then came the snowstorm on December 28th, and people kept looking and worrying and posting and praying. Still no sign of Midgey. How could such an old, deaf and blind dog ever survive such a storm without food or shelter? No one knows the answer to that question, but survive Midgey did. Just as she had survived being tortured and burned 10 years earlier. Perhaps she had a little help from above. Maybe her adopted "mom," Tammy Baber was watching over her from above, keeping her safe from danger. 

Whatever the reason, Midgey just kept going. She didn't even know where, but she kept on going. Until finally, on December 30th, she was picked up way out on Airport road by a Good Samaritan named Jake Klein. Jake put Midgey in a small kennel, took a picture of her and posted it on Facebook. The rest, as they say, is history. 

Word soon got to Amber Seymour, who rushed out to get Midgey and bring her home. Word soon spread to Kimball's pet lovers on Facebook, too. There were many happy well-wishers, thankful that old Midgey had somehow managed to not only survive her ordeal, but end up safely back with her family. Later that day, after they had given Midgey a bath and wrapped her in a warm, snuggly blanket, Amber posted a video of her kids and Midgey having what she calls a "howl session," where they all sit around and howl to each other.  "That's so she knows we love her," said Seymour. "So she knows that she's part of the pack."

Welcome home, Midgey.