Unique search for missing pet saves lives of other dogs

HOUSTON - There's a story behind this billboard.

It's Mia's story and it's about the unexpected things that can happen when an 11-year-old boy's dog goes missing.

Karen Kiesling is raising her 11-year-old nephew Ian Wyble, who knows what it like to feel abandoned. It happened to him when he was just 3.

This blue-eyed German Shepherd named Mia became part of the family about a year ago.

"She was a dog that had been abused," Kiesling said. "A gentleman had her and had her legs zip-tied together."

7 weeks ago, Mia crawled under the fence and hasn't been seen since.

"You worry in the morning, you worry at night when it's cold when it's raining," said Kiesling.

The search for Mia began with simple signs. Now, billboards like this can be seen along I-10. To help pay for the billboards, Ian decided to give up a planned winter vacation with hopes of finding his beloved dog.

"She's very playful, I like her a lot," Ian said.

Karen and Ian started a Facebook page called Mia's Missing.

"It's gone crazy, I've responded to over 260,000 messages about Mia," Kiesling said.

She says the  Mia's Missing Facebook page has saved the lives of three homeless dogs spotted and first believed to be Mia. It also led to five other dogs being reunited with their owners.

"It's Mia and God who is guiding us through this," said Kiesling.

If all this could lead Mia home, it would truly be a miracle.

"I've had people call and say we've got a prayer chain going in church for Mia. It gives me chills because it's so amazing the number of people who are just rallying around this little blue-eyed girl," Kiesling said.

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