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A missing dog that is much more than a beloved family pet had a joyful reunion with its owner in California Thursday night.
Arthur Renowitzky had his therapy dog named Love returned to him at the San Leandro Marina early Thursday evening after a massive campaign to find her.
The dog had disappeared during an outing at the marina Wednesday night.
Renowitzky has been paralyzed since he was robbed and shot outside of a San Francisco club seven years ago. He received Love as a therapy dog after he began his recovery.
"I went through a lot of depression and she's been my support system," Renowitzky said. "She's been with me during my surgery, my rehab."
Renowitzky has become a motivational speaker for those undergoing hardships.
She comes with me to hospitals when I go visit patients who have been newly injured with spinal cord injuries and paralysis and she hops on the hospital beds and licks them, said Renowitzky.
The Renowitzky family offered a $1,000 reward for Love's return and spread the word of the missing dog via social media. "NCIS" actress Pauley Perrette offered $5,000 for the dog's return.
Late Thursday afternoon, the family received word that Love might have been found after a man who bought a dog matching her description heard about the story.
Both Renowitzky and Love were overjoyed at the reunion.
"I'm never going to let her go. I'm getting her microchipped and a collar," said a happy Renowitzky. "I'm a hundred percent sure this is Love!"
The man who returned love bought the dog for his aunt from two people at Walmart in Oakland.
It was unclear at this point if the man collected the reward.
