(UPI) A dog who escaped from her family's home in New Brunswick had her homecoming complicated when she crossed the border into the United States.

Paryse Michaud said her father, Robert Sirois, was caring for her German shepherd, Diamond, while she and her husband were at a hockey tournament with their 9-year-old daughter.

Michaud said Sirois opened the garage door at the family's Clair home and the 17-month-old canine dashed out before he could stop her.

Michaud, who was about four hours away at the hockey tournament, put out a plea for help on Facebook.

"Oh my God, I cried and I cried -- I was in a panic" Michaud told the Bangor Daily News. I was walking like crazy in the hotel room having my phone in my hand and praying that someone can find my dog.

Reports of sightings started coming in from people who saw Diamond cross into Maine via the International Bridge in Fort Kent and was seen headed toward the Lonesome Pine Trails ski hill in Fort Kent.

Mitchell Desjardins, a family friend who lives in St. John, Maine, joined in the search and was able to take custody of Diamond after she wandered into a resident's garage.

Michaud said she then faced a new problem: how to get Diamond home with the border closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Not anybody can go to Fort Kent because of COVID," Michaud said.

The family was able to coordinate a hand-off at the U.S.-Canada border. Desjardins brought Diamond to the border, where the dog was allowed to cross and be taken home by family friends Luc Veilleux and Annik Sirois.

Michaud said she and her family were reunited with Diamond on Sunday.

"She is a very good dog. She likes to play with everybody and is also protective," Michaud said. I'm pretty sure the reason why she ran away was to find my daughter.

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