People say that dogs are humans’ best friends. Anyone who has ever owned a dog can affirm this natural bond. They are loyal, devoted, adorable, reliable, and always show affection in their own way. It’s truly wonderful to have a friend with such qualities, which is why these dogs are often called endearing names like “beloved boss.”

“I lost my dog a year ago, and its journey of wandering… As if by magic, one day when I was supposed to be doing homework but instead was lazily browsing Facebook, I came across a post in a pet group about a dog looking ragged, bought by a meat shop. The post mentioned that a neighbor felt sorry for the dog and took a picture, asking if anyone could save the dog. I had lost hope a long time ago, but this dog was white with long shaggy fur, making me suspect it was my old Dau. So, I took a chance and messaged to inquire. Luckily, I encountered a truly kind person.

The person not only helped me take more photos but also looked for small identifying features like a black collar and female traits that made me more uncertain. I asked them to try calling Dau’s name to see if it reacted, and they replied that it looked intently but didn’t respond, probably because it saw a stranger. Looking at the photos, it both resembled and didn’t resemble my Dau since the dog in the pictures seemed smaller and had one-eye eyelids, unlike my old Dau. I wasn’t sure if it was Dau, but my heart was restless, so I decided to go there in person.

I found a meat shop in Quang Giao, Quang Xuong, 15km away from the city. With the extremely enthusiastic help of the person who made the post, I was led to where the dog was, lying under a car, scared and trembling. When I saw it, I knew it was Dau.

I called out to Dau, and oh heavens, it rushed over to me, crying and whimpering. It barked, rolled around, crawled, exposed its belly, jumped, and wagged its tail like a little child. I was truly fortunate, and people around gathered as if they were watching a live “reunion show” between me and Dau.

People said that the boy living there took care of Dau, bathed it, and fed it rice. But Dau wouldn’t eat rice, only meat. I told them that I had raised Dau for 4 years, and it went missing a year ago. Nobody would believe that I found it in a place so far away, but it was still healthy, covered in bug bites, with matted fur like a rag but its eyes remained unchanged. I heard that someone raised it and couldn’t afford it, so they brought it to the meat shop. Fortunately, a kind neighbor took pictures and posted them on Facebook, and fortunately, someone took care of Dau while I was searching.

Thanks to all the kind people in this world. When I brought Dau home, it rushed into the house to greet my mom, leaving her astonished, hardly believing her eyes. Before leaving, my mom said, “It can’t be Dau for sure, how can you know it’s him?” But just by looking at how joyous Dau was, there was no need for further confirmation… I think my destiny is to serve dogs and cats, so even if I lose them, I have to find them and take care of them. Dau, looking ragged, was bathed, groomed, given medicine, and provided a box to lie in, eating rice and snuggling with my mom as if we hadn’t been apart for a year. I woke up to its excited barking, feeling an inexplicable peace in my heart.

I hope for those dogs still wandering and for their owners who are eagerly waiting, that they will be reunited soon.”