Dog emerges from Tahoe forest after 2 years, is reunited with family

Almost two years after a golden retriever went missing on a camping trip in Tahoe National Forest, the thin, frail dog has been reunited with her family after being spotted at a campground emerging from the woods.

Nathan and Erin Braun were camping in October 2012 when they became separated from their 5-year-old golden retriever, Murphy. They posted fliers and set up a Facebook page for her, but even though they received no responses they held out hope.

Information and updates had been posted on the page since 2012.

Then, earlier this month, a camper at French Meadows Reservoir saw the dog five miles from where she had gone missing. Upon being notified, the Brauns immediately drove from their home in El Dorado Hills to the site.

After several days of searching proved unsuccessful, the Brauns left Murphy’s old bed and some of their clothing with the campground host, hoping the dog would respond, according to a Facebook post written by the couple.

The plan worked. A week later, the Brauns received a call from the host telling them Murphy had been sleeping on the blanket and clothing they left behind, the Brauns wrote. Not only that, the host had been able to coax her into a kennel.

“The very first night I laid it out I heard some movement,” Jason Smith told KXTV-TV of Sacramento. “There was Murphy, sleeping on the blanket. And right there I knew, that’s Murphy. That’s their dog. It was curled up with its head on the hat.”

The dog -- described as thin and frail, but recovering -- was “happy to be home with her family” after a Father’s Day reunion, the Brauns wrote.

“As you can imagine we are completely shocked and amazed with the miracle of her surviving this long,” they said.

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