Man's amazing reunion with the sweet Boxer dog he rescued off the streets (Photos)

Nine years ago in Costa Rica on the side of a rural road, Ramón Fernández found a starving boxer. He took her home never dreaming how much she would change his life for the better. He nursed her back to health and she became his best friend, his confidante and roommate. She was estimated to be about 4 yrs. old and he named her Grettel.

Grettel had the most gentle and tender personality. She was also terrified of loud noises so one Sunday morning when Ramon went to the store, she was in her fenced front yard when because of a celebration in town, some very noisy fireworks were set off. Ramon's neighbor was leaving through a shared gate and terrified Grettel darted out of the fence.

Ramon was home in about 30 minutes and immediately began the search to find her. He went door to door asking neighbors if they saw her but with no results. Day after day he continued to search for Grettel and printed up and distributed more than 500 flyers door to door all by himself. He also printed up larger ones to put in places of business. Soon the national paper picked it up and ran a story about it. For the next 3-4 weeks Ramon would get calls that she was seen anywhere from 25-200 miles away. While it was not likely, unless she had been taken, he followed up.

Ramon also posted on Facebook and the word began to spread. He joined as many organizations as he could find on FB that were related to lost dogs, adoptions, dog lover sites etc. Friends also shared the story and soon it went viral within Costa Rica. He was also getting messages from Africa, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Australia, Canada, the U.S., and many countries from Central and South America.

For over a month, Ramon searched for Grettel day and night. In his heart he felt that she was still alive but not knowing what had happened to her was the hardest part. Thinking about her being lost, hurt, vulnerable, hungry, cold etc., was too much for him to deal with.

After about 4 weeks he got a tip about a coffee plantation that she had been spotted in just outside of town. Because of it's size, he had to organize a search party to comb through it. People from various parts of the country came to assist and search through the area. But it turned up nothing but some clues.


Still Ramon continued to search daily on his own, carrying her food bowl to shake so she could hear it and also some sweaty t-shirts to leave with his scent on them. By this time his neighbors began to worry about him and advised him to give up, but he explained to them that she was his best friend and little girl and not just a dog.

But soon the rainy season began and Ramon was exhausted. For the first time after work he did not go out and search. But by evening the rain had stopped and he decided to take one more look. As he drove by the coffee plantation at about 3 kilometers from his house, it was then that he saw Grettel or so he thought. But his mind questioned if it could really be her. Since the road was narrow he stopped right in the middle of it and put on his emergency flashers.


When he got out of the car he could no longer see her but when he called her name, she came running out of the tall weeds. Ramon described that moment like this, " She came out of the tall grass and her tail began to move until she was wagging her whole body. She came running into my arms. I was crying, I was shaking, I was laughing, it was the most complex set of emotions I’ve ever encountered. I managed to get her in the car and drive back to the house. I called all my friends and posted on Facebook and she went viral again."


The next morning he took her to the vet and although she had lost some weight she was still healthy. During her absence Ramon had adopted another rescue boxer named Bonn. It has worked out great, they love each other and Bonn being only a year and a half has rejuvenated Grettel. Since her return, Ramon has become involved in animal rescue in Costa Rica. He is also full of thanks to everyone for their kind words and support during his search for Grettel.