JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A St. Augustine man found a dog wandering the streets and brought it into his home. Now, four years later, the pooch is living with his original owner in Denver.
The dog got lost while his owner was serving his country as a Marine in Afghanistan. The Marine once lived in Jacksonville but now lives in Colorado.
Blue, a10-year-old shih tzu, has been in the care of Gary Larson in St. Augustine. And on Wednesday, Larson sent Blue on a plane to Denver.
It all started when the Marine's parents asked Larson to watch the dog while their son served two tours overseas.
"They said, 'We want to travel. Our son is in Afghanistan. Would you like to have the dog for a while?'" Larson said. "I said, 'OK, I'll keep him.'"
He may have kept the dog a little longer than expected, but he didn't mind. Blue got very comfortable living with Larson, sleeping in the bed with him and his wife.
Larson has parted ways with Blue but knows he will be loved by his original family, too.
"Blue gets in at 5 o'clock this afternoon and he'll have a whole welcoming committee," Larson said.
The Marine who owns Blue said he's looking forward to seeing his dog and bonding with him again.