Lovable Luna found, but she's not out of the woods yet, says family

NEW YORK -- Luna, the tiny dog who went missing last Wednesday, is now safely back at home with her owners in Manhattan, say family, but she's not out of the woods yet.

"We found her, but she's very weak and tired," said Tamara Usorova of Bay Terrace. Ms. Usorova had put out the call getting family and friends to help in a frantic search after the 3-year-old Shih Tzu-poodle mix went missing on July 9.

Ms. Usorova said her husband picked up Luna on Wednesday afternoon after receiving a phone call from a man in Oakwood Heights who said he found Luna in his back yard. Luna had a leash with a phone number to contact if found.

"He (my husband) immediately picked her up," said Ms. Usorova.
Ms. Usorova said the man had no idea how Luna got there.

"She was dehydrated a little bit, (when we got her), she said. "But she was excited. She was running and jumping, but now she's weak."

Ms. Usorova said Luna was taken to the veterinarian, who told her right now the dog should get rest since there's a possibility she could come down with Lyme disease, so she is at home being monitored in case she becomes ill and needs treatment.

The 3-year-old Luna actually belongs to Ms. Usorova's son, Ilya Usorov, 23, and his girlfriend, Caitlyn Levan, 24, who both live in Manhattan. The couple was frantic when they heard the news about Luna, but were away in Singapore and Bali and could not get home; they recently returned from their trip.

"They picked up the dog already and they are taking care of the dog in Manhattan," said Ms. Usorov.

The dog had last been seen on July 9 on Evergreen Street in Great Kills. Luna had gotten out of Ms. Usorova's back yard after bad weather that day knocked down a fence giving the dog the ability to leave to her property.

Since her disappearance, Ms. Usorova, her husband, and Lisa Levan, Caitlyn's mom, had been searching everywhere for the dog. There were posts and outreach on Facebook's Lost and Found Pets Staten Island webpage, as well as Silive, Craig'slist and the ASCPA website. Flyers were also handed out on the Island including at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.

Ms. Usorova even hired a pet detective from Rhode Island who came to help with the search.

Personally, Ms. Usorova said she's just happy that Luna is home again.

"Now I can breathe again," she said. "Before, I could not sleep and it was a terrible time."

(SILive.com - Jul 19, 2014)