THIS is the story of Jack - a 13-year-old, vision-impaired, diabetic, miniature poodle - and his one-in-a-million Christmas Day rescue.
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A series of coincidences saw Jack returned to safety after he escaped from a boarding home while his owners were on a Christmas break in Sydney.
And it all happened without the pooch missing his essential twice-a-day insulin shots.
West Launceston couple Pam and David Brooks had dropped their beloved Jack at a boarding kennel before heading to New South Wales for their holiday.
Jack absconded in the early hours of Christmas Day.
With little eyesight, and in unfamiliar surroundings, he soon became lost.
That's when delivery driver Rob O'Brien spotted the poodle at the Breadalbane roundabout.
``I thought, `jeez, that doesn't look like a dog that should be out wandering the highway','' Mr O'Brien said.
After some gentle coaxing, Mr O'Brien managed to get Jack into his car and took him home.
He tried to phone Mr and Mrs Brooks using the information on Jack's tag, but as the mobile number was an old one, he couldn't get through.
Stumped, Mr O'Brien phoned a friend, who was having Christmas dinner with her family at Prospect.
Unbeknown to Mr O'Brien and his friend, mutual acquaintances of the Brooks family, Trevor and Renate Bracken, were also at the Prospect dinner, and overheard the conversation.
The Brackens identified Jack and, knowing his health troubles, babysat him until Mr and Mrs Brooks returned home a week later.
``It's such a miracle that it turned out like this,'' Mrs Brooks said.
