On April 24th, she took Libby to the PetSmart Store near the Oxford Valley Mall to be groomed, but before that could happen the dog took off and disappeared. The family searched for weeks, but eventually gave up.
Then on Tuesday, 19 days later and almost 4 miles from where she was last seen, Libby somehow found her way home.
Alex Dudek says he opened the door and Libby came running around the corner, wagging her tail. "I didn't think it was real," he said. "I was like, 'Oh my God!"
Liz added, "Oh yes, I cried, 'cause I felt it was my fault that she took off."
"She probably lost ten pounds," said Dan Dudek. "She was covered in mud and you could see all the ticks all over her, how dirty she was."
The Dudeks took the prodigal pooch to Libby's veterinarian, where they picked off dozens of ticks, some as big as nickels.
But the doctor says Libby's no worse for the wear after her time on the lam. The groomers at PetSmart are relieved about that.
Ashley Scheerer, a groomer, said "Being so close to Oxford Valley Road, we were afraid something might happen to him. It's definitely good to hear he got home."
No one knows where Libby was for all that time, or how she made her way home from miles away. After all there's no GPS for dogs.
"They must have some kind of instinct that drives the," said veterinarian Shirley Jeffers. "We're not lucky enough to understand why it happens, but isn't it great that it CAN happen?"
Instinct, a sixth sense, whatever it is that leads lost dogs like Libby home, the Dudeks are happy and grateful to have her back.
"Somehow, someway, something guided her here," said Andy Dudek. "So I think it's fantastic she's home."
