Finn, Lost Homeward Trails Dog, Found Six Months After Running Away From Bethesda Foster Home

WASHINGTON -- Amid news of a 17-year-old dog being stolen outside a District of Columbia Whole Foods and local pets being attacked by coyotes, here's a happy local dog development.

Rescue group Homeward Trails announced Thursday that Finn, a rescue dog who went missing from in Bethesda, Md., on Feb. 1, has been found, exactly six months after breaking through the front door of his foster home.

Finn's adoption coordinator, Laura Hutchison, told The Huffington Post that after half a year of searching for the shy, skittish dog -- volunteers put out food and water, contacted local shelters, even hired a dog tracker -- she'd given up hope.

"It had been months since any possible reported sightings," Hutchison said. "I hoped that he had settled somewhere and someone was feeding him and had hopefully caught him and taken him in. I also thought he might have been hit by a car."

On July 31, Homeward Trails got an email from someone who thought they might have been feeding Finn. Hutchison and another volunteer drove to nearby Rockville, where they did find Finn, who was still skittish, according to the Homeward Trails announcement:

He didn't run from us, more like sauntered away if we got too close. We didn't want to spook him from the area, so we didn't push our luck. We put more treats out and went home, very excited to know he was alive and reasonably healthy and that we knew where he was and could devise a plan to catch him.

The next day, Finn was enticed with hot dogs and canned food; he's now in Arlington, Va., awaiting some veterinary treatment (and a thorough bath) before he will be available for adoption, likely next week. Here's Finn's Petfinder listing.

"It was a very emotional reunion and he definitely remembers me and has been pretty affectionate," said Hutchison. "We are so thrilled!"

Still missing: Sassafras the beagle, who escaped from a D.C. doggie day care in April 2011.