Missing dog found 20 kilometres away in Montreal's east end

A Montreal woman is calling it her personal Christmas miracle after her 10-year-old dog Max returned after two weeks on the lam.

The lab-husky mix got spooked on a stroll with his dog walker in the east end and bolted.

On Friday, he was found in a refinery in Montreal's Pointe-aux-Trembles neighbourhood.

"Believe it or not, he had travelled almost 20 kilometres," said his owner Erin Prosk. "He popped up at the Suncor energy refinery on the eastern tip of the island."

The dog went missing in St. Michel, and the journey to the east is not a straight trip.

"That was a huge journey across highways and on dangerous streets, and a group of workers there had followed him through the refinery," said Prosk. "I couldn't believe it when we got the call yesterday."

Max was abandoned three years ago at seven years old, and Prosk adopted him from the Berger Blanc animal shelter in 2021.

He was spotted in Anjou and finally located on Friday. Prosk said she had invaluable help from Ge Cherche Charly, an organization that helps dog owners reunite with their missing pets. 

"It really felt like a miracle for the holidays, and not just for me but for so many people who were looking for him; he's home and safe and sound," said Prosk. "It's a miracle."

While the owner calls it her Christmas gift, she will also buy Max a collar with a GPS tracker. 

With reporting from CTV News Montreal journalist Rob Lurie.