ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) – A Rottweiler picked up by a Lyft driver in St. Petersburg in November has returned home to his owner.
One-year-old “Mahi” is now back in the arms of owner Jason Gell.
Gell was in Las Vegas on Tuesday and got a call from his mother that the dog was found in a mobile home in Seffner.
He took a red-eye flight to reunite with his beloved pooch.
A Lyft driver was seen on a Ring security camera picking up Mahi on Nov. 2 around 1 a.m.
The driver reportedly told police he thought the dog was lost when he discovered it in the St. Pete neighborhood. A worker at Gell’s home left a gate open, allowing Mahi to escape.
About six blocks down the road, the driver saw the dog was dirty and tried to move the puppy to the back hatch, but he escaped.
A media release posted to Gell’s Facebook page said Mahi has grown up a bit and is a little skittish, but is slowly adjusting well back at home.
“It’s hard to lose him as a puppy and have him returned as a teenager,” Gell wrote on Facebook.
Gell is hosting a “welcome home” party for Mahi at Ferg’s Sports Bar and dog park Thursday from 5-9 p.m.
He said he would like to give anyone involved in getting Mahi home the opportunity to say hello.
“A keg or 2 of beer will be on hand, plenty of appetizers and a donation bucket for anyone that would like to donate to Rottweiler Rescue of FL,” the release reads.
Lyft told 8 On Your Side in November it cooperated with police and reached out to Gell to offer support.
The driver is not facing charges.
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