Vet's Office Accidentally Loses Woman's Senior Dog, She Launches Incredible Internet Campaign to Bring Hazel Home

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kalila courban
Mar 25, 2024 12:00 PM EDT

Hey, friends. As dog owners, we know how much a canine companion can mean to us and how big a part of our families they can become. We love our dogs; they are our best friends and loyal companions, and we simply want the very best for them. When we take our dogs to the vet for a check-up, procedure, or whatever it may be, we place our trust in those medical providers to treat our dogs with the utmost care and respect. Unfortunately, this didn't happen for Hannah Riley, whose dog, Hazel, was lost at her vet's office. 

This sparked an uproar in the local Atlanta media, which broadcasted Hannah's story widely as she tirelessly searched for her dog, Hazel. Her friends even launched a GoFundMe campaign to purchase more media ad space to promote Hazel's story and ensure her safe return. Hannah's awareness efforts finally paid off when she received a text from a family who had found Hazel. The family's home was located over a mile from the vet's office, with highways and dangerous terrain in between, yet somehow Hazel made her way there and knew to stop. The internet, already deeply invested in Hannah and Hazel's story, rightfully celebrated their reunion. The remaining funds from the GoFundMe campaign, after paying for ads, were donated to a local animal shelter. What goes around comes around! 

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  • 01
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy i just keep looking at this screenshot, it's so surreal and just feels kinda drawn up from a nightmare i miss her so much FIRST ALERT YOUR FIRST ALERT FORECAST WEATHER LESS THAN TWO MINUTES AWAY NEWS DESK LIVE AT FIVE WOMAN FURIOUS AFTER VET LOSES DOG ANF Ford NEWS RIAL AND NEVER CONVICTED RELEASED TROUP COUNTY MAN SENTEN 5:45 74°
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 02
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy new fliers now saying reward; please keep sharing LOST DO NOT CHASE OR APPROACH LOST DO NOT CHASE OR APPROACH REWARD 470-867-7530 11:59 PM Mar 21, 2024 437K Views REWARD 470-867-7530
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 03
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy ok, we are moving into a big public awareness campaign hoping that whoever might have Hazel sees it. we are going to need billboards and maybe other kinds of community advertising. NO pressure but if you want to chip in (turns out billboards cost a lot): Bring Hazel Home, organized by Kestrel Montague From gofundme.com 4:20 PM · Mar 20, 2024 318.5K Views • ...
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 04
    Search How it works Start a GoFundMe gofundme Bring Hazel Home $10,335 USD raised Sign in Share Copy link Facebook X Email More The organizer has currently disabled new donations to this fundraiser. Kestrel Montague is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Hannah Riley. Created 4 d ago. Animals Wanda Weidenhammer $25.3 d Anonymous $20.3 d Rebecca Young $12.3 d Dustin Lee $100 -3 d Amanda Stallcup $8.3 d On March 17, 2024, St. Francis Veterinary Specialists and Emergency in Atlanta, GA decided
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 05
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy SOMEONE FOUND HAZEL!!!!!!!! I'm driving to the house in Decatur right now!!!!!!!!!!!! Hi Hannah! This is left you a voicemail but I believe I've found your missing pup. Here are some pics. She has no collar and has a spot on her leg where it looks like the vet shaved hair. I'm pretty confident this is your
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 06
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i rồi tôi tôi rồi tôi
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 07
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy she's so skinny and scared and shaking but she's responding to her name and no huge visible injury I am in SHOCK
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 08
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy A few updates and then I promise you won't be annoyed by me for a while!! A woman in Decatur opened her door this morning & Hazel was on the porch. She assumed it was a neighbors dog and shooed her away but Hazel decided she was going inside no matter what and invited herself in 9:07 PM Mar 22, 2024 129.3K Views
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 09
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy It was about 1.4 miles from the vet (by car.) Tons of highways; fencing; construction. WHO KNOWS how Hazel did this. She's been to a vet and checked out. Aside from scrapes and cuts and some issues w back legs, she's just exhausted and in pain. Waiting on blood work. 9:10 PM Mar 22, 2024 111.6K Views
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 10
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy She's still herself though! I know she's going to recover fully. And here's even more good news - we already bought the billboard space, but there's another missing dog in Decatur so that family can use them! I offered reward to the family who got Hazel & they generously said no 9:13 PM · Mar 22, 2024 121K Views
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 11
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy So because of all your generosity another dog has a chance at being found, & we'll donate the rest to the Atlanta Humane society. I'll share screenshots when it's done. Lastly, truly, this saga has reaffirmed my love & faith in humanity. From the bottom of my heart thank you all 9:15 PM Mar 22, 2024 124.7K Views ...
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 12
    Klainiac @klainiac 'This is the happiest day of my life': Mass. native reunited with missing dog after story ab... From bostonglobe.com ...
    via @klainiac
  • 13
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy her pain meds have kicked in and my adrenaline is wearing off and I'm realizing probably neither of us have slept in a week so we're going to go cuddle up for the rest of eternity
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 14
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy Follow ... i'm just carrying her around the house in her bed everywhere i go lol 4:35 PM Mar 23, 2024 24K Views
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 15
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy We're home and my mom is feeding her apple and she's drinking and wagging her tail guys I am in shock I'm so so so so so happy 0:03 Ext 1995 Vermont 2:48 PM - Mar 22, 2024 703.4K Views
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 16
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy reunited
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 17
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy well I was wrong she's the same
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 18
    Hannah Riley @hannahcrileyy If hazel survives this she will be a very different dog from the one who would refuse to even nap outside on rocks without something cozy to lie on
    via @hannahcrileyy
  • 19
    SmiLLa @i_smilla Thanks for filling us in. We live in Glasgow, Scotland and we've been worried sick about Hazel. We were checking twitter for updates constantly. So happy you're reunited. The kindness shown by strangers supporting you has cheered me no end 9:20 PM Mar 22, 2024 588 Views
    via @i_smilla

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big dogs adorable crazy cute big dogs heartwarming rescue funny gigantic reunion sweet hero story wholesome doggo
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