Rufus was nowhere to be found. The deaf dog escaped the day Marisa moved into her new home, leaving her worried and heartbroken.
Being deaf, Rufus faced extra dangers on the streets. Despite months passing with no sign of him, Marisa never gave up hope.
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Rufus came into Marisa’s life during a time of immense grief. She had lost one of her children to a rare form of cancer at the age of nine.
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Rufus helped her cope with the pain, earning the title of her “healing dog.” Rufus, too, had a difficult past, having lived with people who mistreated him. It seemed they had healed each other.
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When Rufus disappeared, Marisa suspected the move to new surroundings might have scared him off.
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She sought help from the local volunteer group, the Frijoles team, who quickly spread the word about the missing dog.
Their efforts paid off when motorcyclist Arabel Solis found Rufus near the Santa Fe animal shelter.
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Arabel, knowing the pain of losing a pet, couldn’t leave Rufus behind. “You think your dog is gone forever and you will never see him again,” Arabel told SBLY Animal Channel.
She took a photo and alerted the Frijoles team, who set up a trap to catch the stray dog.
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Although uncertain if it was Rufus, the vet confirmed through his chip that it indeed was him. Marisa was notified immediately.
Since she was in Spain with her family, the reunion began virtually. When they finally embraced each other again, Marisa could hardly believe her luck.
She worried if Rufus would recognize her, but her fears were unfounded. His tail wagged furiously, and he couldn’t get enough affection from his mother.
