Kennedy, her daughter and Katie raced back to Spotsylvania for a tearful reunion at Baxley Morton's house in Lee's Hill. Baxley Morton had already picked Chica up from Animal Control, removed nearly 30 ticks from her tiny head and given her an Herbal Essences bath.

Chica settled onto a pillow for a nap, but perked up when Kennedy walked in.

"It was insane. Chica liked me, but I wasn't mom. She just worships Donna," said Baxley Morton. "She wouldn't stop licking her and wagging her tail. It was like a movie."

Said Kennedy: "Her eyes went wide and then all three of us laid around her. She went from one to the next to the next to the next, tail wagging so furiously. She licked us for probably an hour and a half. She just knew her family was there, and then she slept right against us. I just can't believe 23 days she was living on her own."

Chica had dropped to about 3 pounds, less than half her original weight, and her nails were worn down. But she didn't appear injured.

Hawkins hosted a breakfast Tuesday morning at her B&B for Kennedy, Chica and as many volunteer searchers as could make it.

"I thought she looked remarkably well considering all she's been through," said Amy Wolf of Spotsylvania, whose family searched high and low. "It all came out really nice. It was sad to see them leave, but nice to see them leave with their dog."

Kennedy visited briefly with Connelly at the job site to thank him. And then her group headed back to New York, with Chica cuddled up next to them.

"If only she could talk," Kennedy said.

Edie Gross: 540/374-5428
Email: egross@freelancestar.com