KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — A family in Knox County said they have faith in humanity after a community wide search lasting nine days led to them being reunited with their family dog.
After fireworks on the 4th of July scared away their puppy, the Olive family took to social media in a desperate search for their pet.
Pam Olive said she was overwhelmed with phone calls and messages on Facebook from people who thought they found their 10-month-old Great Pyrenees-Poodle mix, who the family said was rescued from a backyard breeder.
"I got calls from West Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky," Pam Olive said. "I got a call from Johnson City at two in the morning. I mean we were just blown away."
The search included help from someone who reached out to help fly a drone over the area, the Olives said.
"We had a drone operator, Brandon who came out and he spent endless hours searching for her until 1 a.m.," Olive said.
In addition, a community search, with at least dozens of people, blocked traffic on neighborhood streets, the family said.
The family determined Ollie was in survival mode and would not get close to people. The family hired Smoky Mountain K9 Search and Rescue, who set up a trap with some of Ollie's belongings and food. The hope was that the smell of home would lure her in.
12 hours later, the family was reunited with Ollie, four and a half miles from home.
The Olives said they couldn't have done it without the help of countless people who shared posts, searched on foot and called about spotting the dog.
"With all the negative things going on in the country and the world right now, it gives us hope there's really good people still," Olive said.