‘It’s a miracle’: German man finds beloved lost dog, five years after he went missing during a trip to the NT

LEIF Fischer thought he would never see his beloved dog, Chopper, again after he went missing during an NT holiday five years ago. So it was nothing short of a ‘miracle’ when Mr Fischer — now living back in his native Germany — stumbled upon a picture of Chopper on the Katherine Council Facebook page.

Five years after he went missing at a camp site in Tennant Creek, Leif Fischer’s beloved dog Chopper was found in Katherine a week ago. Mr Fischer is now trying to raise enough money to have him transported to Germany, where he lives. Picture: Supplied

LEIF Fischer thought he would never see his beloved dog, Chopper, again after he went missing during a holiday in the Northern Territory five years ago.

Mr Fischer, who lives in Germany, lost Chopper in 2015 while camping at Tennant Creek but he never stopped searching for him, combing through pet shelters’ online posts for any sign of his estranged canine.

“I never stopped believing and checking the lost and found pages really — my wife was thinking I’m crazy,” he said.

“I remember waking up one day at the campsite at Tennant Creek and he was gone.

“Heartbroken I searched the whole town without success and later the campground owner said a family with young kids took him.

“I called everywhere and posted on Facebook and on animal lost sites, without a clue where Chopper might be.”

German man Leif Fischer thought he would never see his beloved dog Chopper again, and was thrilled to learn someone had found him in Katherine a week ago. Picture: Supplied

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Mr Fischer said he thought it was nothing short of a “miracle” when he stumbled upon a picture of Chopper on the Katherine Council Facebook page about a week ago.

“No one has come forward claiming him and he seems to be living on the streets in Katherine,” Mr Fischer said.

“I want more than anything to be reunited with him but I’ll have to raise some money because it’s going to be about 5000 euros ($8000) to get him home and I’m a student.”

Mr Fischer managed to find a foster family who are willing to take Chopper for three months while he tries to raise some funds.

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A GoFundMewas recently set up and has raised $100 so far.

For more information or to donate, go to the GoFundMe page here.

Mr Fischer said Chopper was named after one of the NT’s most famous saltwater crocodiles, housed at Crocosaurus Cove.

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