Carter, the Dillard family pup, that went missing on Tuesday morning was found and is tail-waggin’ proud to be home with his family.

Chip Dillard said that Carter went missing around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. Several neighbors saw him but didn’t realize it was Carter.

“There’s another dog in the neighborhood that gets out often and our neighbors just thought it was the other dog,” Dillard said. “My wife, Cristin, drove around the block several times looking and calling for him.”

While Chip was taking his son to daycare, his wife went to CVS to get photos of Carter with the necessary information printed on them.

“I got home and posted on Facebook and tagged neighbors, who are on my friends’ list, as well as people like Donna Schubert and others who could also share to help get the word out.”

Morgan Drinkard responded to Schubert’s post around early Tuesday afternoon and said that she had seen a woman in a blue pickup truck pick Carter up in front of TB&T on Three Notch Street.

“I received a call from one of my co-workers saying that Morgan’s husband, Rob, was trying to get up with me,” Dillard said. “I called Rob and he told me what Morgan had seen. I called Morgan to find out which way the truck was headed. I figured that might help in determining who it was or at least finding someone who may have seen where she went from there.”

Dillard canvassed TB&T to no avail and posted a photo in the window of Synco Drugs.

“I thought whoever picked Carter up might pass through that area and see the photo in the window,” he said. “I left my number in case someone came in with information. Then I went to the Messenger office and WTBF. I figured getting it out in the paper and on the radio would help us find Carter sooner.

“After we got the description of the truck and driver Cristin, who works at Banks School, sent out an email to some of her co-workers in addition to us posting the info on Facebook to be re-shared.

“Alithia Gunter, a teacher at Banks Primary School, called Cristin and let her know that a kindergartener was dropped off that morning by a woman in a blue Chevy pickup truck with a small white dog in the bed of the truck. Alithia said she asked the woman why the small dog was in the back of the truck in the rain and cold.

“The woman said she had picked the dog up in front of TB&T because it had almost gotten run over.”

Gunter and Cristin Dillard determined that the student in the blue pickup was Hudson Williams.

“They called the student’s dad and left a message asking about the dog,” Dillard said. “His dad called my wife back and told her that his girlfriend, Tiffany Fonsworth, had picked the dog up and that he would be happy to meet her with Carter. Cristin met Hudson’s father at Ingram’s. They had given Carter a bath to get him cleaned up.”

Dillard said that he and his family are thankful that Carter was returned safely and appreciative of everyone who helped either by sharing information on Facebook or just being alert to what was going on around them.

“Without Morgan seeing Carter being picked up and Alithia seeing him in the back of the truck who knows how long it would have taken to find him,” Dillard said. “We would especially like to thank Tiffany and Hudson for stopping to pick Carter up out of the road.”