Dog, owners reunited after airport escape

PORTLAND – A dog that bolted from its kennel at Portland International Airport last week has been reunited with an Alaskan couple who searched for days for their missing pet.

A Horizon Air baggage handler apparently let the 6-year-old blue heeler named Bear out of his kennel to go to the bathroom and the dog bolted, possibly scared by all the aircraft noise.

Janelle and Jason Kosten were at Portland International Airport waiting for a connecting flight to visit family in Southern Oregon when they were told the dog had escaped.

KGW-TV reported a man who lives near the airport spotted the dog and recognized him from a photo he saw during a station news broadcast.

Bear and his owners were reunited Monday.