OCALA, Fla. – A Marion County family is celebrating after their missing dog finally made it home Friday, ending a journey that took him more than 1,000 miles away to Long Island, New York.
Apollo, a 13-year-old dog, disappeared from his family’s home in April. After months of searching with no answers, his owners were stunned to learn this week that he had been found at a police station on Long Island.
On Friday, Apollo’s owner, Nicholas Josey, flew to New York to bring him home.
“I had no doubt the whole time he’d make it back home,” Josey told News 6. “It’s just mind-blowing he was already in New York. He went to New York before any of us.”
Back in Ocala, Apollo wasted little time settling back into family life. He greeted relatives, checked on his favorite toys, reunited with the Joseys’ 1-year-old daughter, and met newborn Nicholas Jr., who was born while Apollo was missing.
“I can’t wait for those two to get acclimated with one another,” Vera Josey said. “We’ll get back to the routine of saying, ‘Come on Apollo, we’ve gotta do this,’ and he’d tap tap tap.”
While Apollo is finally home, the family says they’re still trying to figure out how he ended up in New York.
The Joseys say they’ve been doing some sleuthing of their own and believe they found a social media post from Long Island showing a dog they are convinced is Apollo. They hope that information could help identify the person they believe picked Apollo up after he disappeared.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office previously determined it did not have evidence that a crime had occurred. However, in a statement to News 6, the agency said if additional information comes forward pointing to criminal intent in Apollo’s disappearance, deputies would investigate.
The sheriff’s office also said it had not yet received any additional information from the family. The Joseys told News 6 they plan to contact investigators and share what they’ve found.
For now, though, the family is focused on celebrating Apollo’s return — just in time for his upcoming 14th birthday in August.
“He’ll have a party,” Vera Josey said. “He’ll have a party. We’ll do a party.”