Alexandra woman Mikayla Hills is crediting friends, family and a caring community for the safe return of her beloved dog, Sasha.

Sasha, a one-year-old rottweiler-cross, escaped from her Fastnet Street property during the town’s Blossom Festival fireworks display on Saturday (September 23).

The fireworks were originally scheduled for Friday night, but took place on Saturday instead, due to bad weather.

Central Otago District Council had posted a reminder on its Facebook page on Thursday, encouraging people to keep their pets indoors during the weekend’s festivities.

However, Mikayla, who was unaware of the fireworks date change, went to Cromwell’s speedway on Saturday and, as usual, left her dogs outside for the day.

When she returned home at 9.30pm Sasha was gone.

Mikayla alerted the community via Facebook, providing a phone number and image of her missing pooch.

There were sightings of her, but due to Sasha’s nature, no one could get close enough to hold her.

“We were walking around town on Saturday night to places we would usually take her and places she might know, but with it being so dark it was hard.”

Mikayla and Sasha

Sasha was finally found about 24 hours later on Gilligans Gully Road, at the far end “quite a wee way from home”.

Mikayla was grateful to everyone who helped with the search, including the people who got out on foot, drove around and also those who reported sightings of her on social media.

She believed without Facebook the search would have been a lot harder.  

“We are very grateful for the way the community came together to help us, and friends and family. We even had people come down from Cromwell to help us.”

Now Sasha is home, where she belongs.

“She was very, very happy to see us, that’s for sure. We are very glad that she’s home.”

Sasha was one of three dogs that went missing over the weekend that Mikayla was aware of.

PHOTOS: Supplied