ohmidog!

After nearly seven months missing on the cold mean streets of Middletown, Connecticut, a wayward hound named Lady has been found — but the family that had adopted her before she ran off doesn’t want her anymore.

Not exactly the happy ending of a Disney movie, but it’s not quite as hard-boiled as it sounds. The adoptive family had only had Lady for a few hours when, while on a walk, she bolted.

That was back in November. Ever since then animal control officers have been trying to track her down as reports came in about her being spotted in different parts of town. At one point, she was seen negotiating the rugged terrain of Wesleyan University. Another time she was spotted in a family’s backyard dog house.

Each time, though, according to the Middletown Press, she would elude authorities.

“She obviously has very good survival instincts to last through the frigid winter,” Middletown Animal Control Officer Gail Petras said. “It’s rare we have a dog like this that’s out for so long.”

Petras said those who spotted Lady about town in the first two months — after she was adopted from the Connecticut Humane Society and then fled — reported she was dragging a long, bright pink leash behind her. Later sightings had her pulling a short pink leash. After that, reports had her pulling no leash at all.

In early March, the night before a bad snowstorm, Lady showed up in Ruth and Cliff Drechsler-Martells’ doghouse. They left food for her and, while she’d eat it, she wouldn’t let them near her. When they approached, she ran away.

Over Memorial Day weekend, Lady — a hound mix, about two years old, picked out another house, walked through the open door and curled up on the living room floor. The homeowners, holding a barbecue, assumed she’d been brought by a guest. After all their guests left, Lady was still there. The hound was still wearing her tags from the Humane Society, and her adopters were contacted.

Shocked to hear Lady was still alive, the owners told Petras they couldn’t take her back because they’d gotten another dog in the interim.

The Drechsler-Martells are considering adopting Lady, but aren’t sure she’d get along with their 9-year-old dog.

Petras said Lady loves other dogs; she is spayed and she has all of her shots, and she can be reached in care of Middletown Animal Control at 860-344-3298.