West Creek Dog Found After Extensive Search

Emily Johansen's birthday turned into a nightmare. After flying to Florida, she found out Sunday her dog escaped. She rushed back to New Jersey, searched extensively, and after several hopeless, sleepless nights, Johansen found Koda.

Several people sighted the small, timid Pomeranian mix around West Creek. Johansen arrived at the Newark Airport on Monday morning. She and friends searched for Koda from 1 p.m. Monday through Tuesday morning.

They posted flyers around town. Johansen even put signs on her Jeep and rode up and down Route 9 with her hazards on. All in all, about 60 neighbors helped find Koda, Johansen said.

She received a phone call and three Facebook messages around 4 a.m. Tuesday about a sighting. Johansen and brought Koda's brother, Rio, to explore the area. She received another phone call and a picture of Koda.

"I jumped out there and I walked with Rio. He was smelling something," Johansen said. "He was so sad and not acting right when I came home and he wasn’t with Koda."

They followed a trail, and Rio started walking faster down Railroad Avenue. They searched the area until 8 a.m. The sun had risen, and Johansen lost hope. She went inside and prayed.

Then she received a message. "I have your dog."

Local resident Dylan Sisi said his mom saw Koda in an abandoned backyard with a fence. Johansen told them not to move until she arrived.

"He must’ve went back there because I have a fence and he knows that’s like home," Johansen said.

It was really Koda, right where Rio picked up his scent. Koda sat by a back slider door, similar to one Johansen has. He felt scared, and he growled at her like he never had before.

"He did bite me because he was scared," Johansen said. "But as soon as I touched him, and I was crying, he started kissing me and licking my face non-stop."

Her friend Jennette DiCarlo, who stayed at Johansen's house and helped all night with the search, couldn't stop crying with her. Koda was dirty, covered in ticks and couldn't walk because the pads on his feet became so raw. But as soon as Johansen held Koda, he knew he was safe, she said.

She took Koda to the vet and got him tick medicine. Other than that, he was healthy.

"I felt so helpless when I was in Florida," Johansen said. "When I booked that flight, I was so anxious but felt relieved that I could be home to find him. I seriously can’t believe we found him."

Photos provided by Emily Johansen