ohmidog!

Petie, the Jack Russell terrier who disappeared from his back yard in Tennessee in July, and turned up in Michigan last week, has been reunited with his 73-year-old owner.

A Michigan Humane Society volunteer, Nancy Greiser, drove Petie the 600 miles to Erin, Tennessee and handed him over to owner Jim Arrighi on Thursday.

The reunion couldn’t come at a better time, the Detroit Free Press reported: Arrighi’s wife of 37 years, Juanita, died two weeks ago.

The  4-year-old dog arrived to much fanfare — balloons, welcome signs, TV cameras and, inside, a steak that had been prepared for Petie by a local restaurant.

“He’s more excited than I thought he’d be,” Arrighi said moments after Petie greeted him with barks and a wagging tail.

Arrighi had been searching for Petie since the dog disappeared from his yard July 28. He put up posters, bought ads in the local newspaper, and went door to door.

Earlier this week, in Michigan, a Rochester Hills man found Petie wandering in his backyard and took him to the humane society. There he was scanned for a microchip, and that information led them to  Arrighi. How Petie got to Michigan remains a mystery.

“He meant a lot to me and my wife,” Arrighi said. “I figured he was gone. I thought the chip was a waste of money, but I guess not.”

(Photo: Mark Hicks / The Stewart Houston Times)