I know of 2 different people that lost their dogs at camping resorts over the years and one was found several months later... the other never found. The one found had been scared by a loud noise like a fireworks (truck that backfired real loud) and it just took off running. The people stayed an extra week and had radio announcements and fliers and every vet and animal control in a 50 mile radius notified. Turns out someone found the dog running alongside the road and picked it up and just thought it was a stray and took it with them. It was over 100 miles away from where it got scared/lost. They finally took it to a vet when it got an injury, and it had been chipped and the vet scanned it when they mentioned they had found it abandoned....
Sure, that is unusual, but I have other friends that had dogs STOLEN.... and one was sold to a guy who sold it to another guy and when they were trying to sell it, the new people had it checked for a chip and found out that it was in some national database that it had been stolen.... the other one was found emaciated running loose where it had been dumped about 100 miles away and would not get near anyone and it was obvious it had been abused.....
Another found their dog dead about a month later and since it had been a guardian for the family, they assumed who stole it had not been able to sell it and had killed it....
Granted these were all purebred type dogs and there is a black market on some breeds... and 2 of these dogs were inside fenced yards and one was on the chain when the owners weren't home as he would chase after their car too often.... the chain and all was taken with that dog....
That said, I can understand that someone cannot spend their whole life looking for an animal that might have gotten loose or scared and taken off... especially if they are traveling... so I can see where
@Travlr is coming from.
And I admire all the people that have tried to find a home for the dog up your way
@Nesikep ... but if he came from out of the area for whatever reason, the owners might not have known about it. He looked to be fairly well taken care of in your pictures even since he was lost.... so that is why I asked about the chip in case he got lost from someone.... If he is chipped; and it comes up that he is missing from somewhere, a reunion will tell immediately if the previous owner and the dog have a good relationship..... or if they really care....
In the meantime, it looks like he has a home now... and I am glad that you have given it to him.