Good Samaritans and social media help homeless man Brett Nicholls reunite with his 15-year-old dog Molly
A HOMELESS man has been reunited with his best friend — thanks to a couple of good Samaritans.
A HOMELESS Adelaide man has been reunited with his best mate — thanks to a couple of good Samaritans.
Brett Nicholls’ 12-year-old kelpie cross Molly disappeared on Saturday night near ANZ Rundle Mall — where her owner had been sleeping rough.
Passer-by Nichole Kopp spotted Molly wandering along Charles St around 1.30am and took her to a vet clinic in Magill, where she was identified from her microchip.
Ms Kopp posted on a public Facebook group to find the owner of the kelpie cross and soon confirmed it was Mr Nicholls’ furry companion.
It’s believed Molly went missing when Mr Nicholls went for a walk.
Sharon Callus — who originally posted on social media on Sunday night in a bid to locate the missing dog — took Mr Nicholls to the vet to pick up Molly.
The original post had been shared more than 3000 times, which helped find Molly within several hours.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to get Mr Nicholls — who cannot work because of a back injury — and Molly off the street.
The funds will help Mr Nicholls secure a bond for a house under a government program.
Donations are also urged for Paws and Pals, who support dogs and their owners who are going through difficult times, and were also responsible for microchipping Molly.
Mr Nicholls was overjoyed and emotional when his dog was found.
“I was sitting there and this woman (Sharon) came and showed what was going on on Facebook, got a picture of Molly to help the search and five minutes later she said someone had found her,” he said.
He had spent Sunday looking for Molly with the help of a security guard who last saw the dog on CCTV footage around midnight on Saturday.
The vet was unable to get hold of Mr Nicholls directly, and only had homeless shelter Hutt St Centre as a contact.
Instead, Mr Nicholls thought he would have to wait until Monday to get help to find his best friend.
Mr Nicholls, who is in constant pain from spinal disc nerve compression, said the duo had been through thick and thin together since they began living on the streets 18 months ago.
“I got her when she was a puppy,” he said.
“I left her with my parents when I went away for 12 months but I always come back.”
Mr Nicholls said he had previously worked in transport and retail but because of his back pain, he was unable to find a job.
Now he felt overwhelmed with the support and kindness of people sharing his story online.
