Hurricane Katrina hit Shorty the poodle's owners hard. The New Orleans' residents lost their home and didn't know what to do with their then eight-year-old pet. So they gave Shorty away to a caretaker with hopes of getting him back someday.

After seven long years, it looks like that day is coming.

Nobody knows how Shorty made his way 735 miles from Louisiana to North Carolina. But what is known is that two weeks ago a passerby found the pouch wandering the streets of Kannapolis, N.C. looking ragged and brought him to a local animal hospital.

Because he was chipped, the staff at the Cabarrus Animal Hospital were able to contact his long-lost family in New Orleans.

Shorty has some health problems -- as would be expected of a 15-year-old dog who's likely lived a tough life. But the folks at Cabarrus have decided to treat his dental issues and heart murmur free of charge.

The next step is getting Shorty back to Louisiana and his family, who want him back "whether he lives another three months or three years." To do that they need a volunteer to transfer the dog. Something tells us the attention this story is starting to get will net Shorty a ride back home.

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