Golden retriever lost after New York tornado found safe miles away from home

There's a happy ending to the story of a family pet lost during last week's tornado outbreak in western New York.

For the first time in years, a slew of at least four tornadoes caused serious damage to the area, and the strongest struck Eden, located in Erie County south of Buffalo.

The EF2 tornado reached wind speeds up to 115 mph, destroyed numerous businesses and homes and prompted a state of emergency declaration in the city, where Zoey the golden retriever lives.

The 4-year-old golden retriever has been with Jeffrey and Colleen Smith since she was a puppy.

"She's like one of your family," Jeffrey told Scripps News Buffalo on Friday.

'You're losing a loved one': Eden couple searching for beloved dog that went missing during tornado

But the couple was away from the dog last week when the tornado hit, traveling to Houston while Colleen was undergoing treatment for a Stage 4 brain tumor. They told Scripps News Buffalo their dog likely got spooked and left home amid the storm Wednesday.

"Zoey's afraid of fireworks and loud noises. She got out, panicked and was probably trying to search for me and my wife," Jeffrey said. "It's like you're losing a loved one."

The Smiths said 40 to 50 people helped them search for Zoey, and she was ultimately found a few miles away from home.

This story was originally published by Julia Skeval at Scripps News Buffalo .