When Karen Houser looked out into her backyard on Saturday, she found the best Christmas present ever waiting for her.

After being lost for a week, her missing dog was back home.

"Christmas miracle! Marley was in our backyard this morning! She found her way home after 7 days," Houser reported on Doylestown Patch Saturday morning.

"Thank you SO much to everyone in the community who spent time to look for her!" she concluded.

On Dec. 18, Houser posted a notice and a photo about the missing Marley. The brown pit bull/lab mix had been missing since Dec. 15 from the area near Cold Spring Elementary School in Buckingham.

We shared the post in our newsletter and on our Facebook page, and the Doylestown area responded with fervor.

Crystal Spiegel reported that she might have seen Marley on Tuesday on Ferry Road.

On Wednesday, Patricia Dybalski drove all over the area where Marley last had been seen, trying to find her.

Carol and Jessica, both Doylestown Patch readers, offered their free time on Thursday to drive around and look for the brown and white dog, who reportedly had been seen playing with other dogs but was running from people trying to help her.

Finally, on Saturday, Houser reported the good news. Marley was back home, safe and sound, where she belonged.

Thanks to everyone who shared the post and the photo of Marley, and to everyone who volunteered their time to go look for a stranger's dog. That's what community is all about.

Whether your dog goes missing, or your bicycle is stolen, or your company is doing something great, or your kids' baseball team won its game, we always have room for your community news on Doylestown Patch.

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