Kratos, a big black lab, rushes into the Community Sheltering Center lobby, feet tapping and tail wagging with excitement; he’s just caught sight of his family after a heartbreaking separation.
He makes a beeline for his “babies”—first gently offering his toy to the family’s toddler, then poking his head into the carrier to see the baby—before melting into the father’s arms. Everyone was safe and accounted for, now that they are together again.
“When I lost him near the highway, I was assuming the worst,” said his owner, fighting tears. “You have no idea how grateful I am that you found him.”
The day before, our team received his distraught call. The family was driving home to Ohio when their truck broke down on I-40 and Kratos jumped out. With night approaching and miles of highway, chances of finding Kratos seemed slim.
But no matter how unlikely, our staff will always rise to the occasion.
The manager of our Community Sheltering Center was scrolling through lost animal Facebook pages when she saw a dog that matched the description of Kratos. Coincidentally, he also looked identical to Mattie, her “soul dog” she’d lost years earlier, so it felt personal.
By then, darkness and harsh winds had set in, with temperatures expected to drop to the mid-20s overnight. She couldn’t bear the thought of a frightened, dark-colored Lab lost at night. Flashlight in hand, she went to the house of the kind woman who spotted Kratos and eventually found him wandering nearby. Certain his people would return, he’d run back toward the dark interstate, putting him in real danger.
Meanwhile, Kratos’s family had stopped in Knoxville due to weather when they received the call that he’d been found. Overjoyed to hear he was safe, they planned to pile back into their car and make the 2.5 hour drive back at first light. Kratos spent the night with our staff member, comfortable but clearly missing his people. He cried all night.
While getting Kratos settled until his owners returned, our manager said it almost felt like a reunion for her too, like holding her own dog again. It’s a reminder of why we all do this work: every animal deserves to be treated like one of our own because, in our hearts, they are.
Later, as Kratos and his family made their journey north, we received a photo of him sound asleep in the passenger seat, finally back where he belonged.
Kratos’ story was a part of our 2025 End of Year campaign. You can read more stories from the campaign, among others, in our Stories tag! And of course, you can always be a part of the mission and donate to support stories like these.
