Where did Oscar, the Dr Pepper-drinking donkey go for two years? That's what his owners in Paradise, Texas, would like to find out.
Hershel Pearson submitted a photo to NBC 5 this week, showing a donkey named "Oscar" drinking happily from a Dr Pepper can.
The caption read, "Oscar, our Dr Pepper drinking donkey suddenly disappeared over two years ago, and suddenly reappeared this week."
Of course, we wanted to know more.
Pearson told us Oscar, whose job on the ranch was keeping wild hogs away, vanished without a trace more than two years ago from their farm located on County Road 3690, about eight miles outside Springtown, in Wise County.
Pearson checked with his neighboring ranchers, called the Wise County pound, and combed the area for Oscar, but no luck.
"I don't know if he was on a space mission or went to the moon or what," Pearson said. "There ain't no explanation that I can come up with."
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
It wasn't until this week that Oscar reappeared, apparently unharmed and — besides needing his hooves trimmed — in good health.
Pearson wasn't positive it was really him, until he opened a fresh can of Dr Pepper.
The donkey immediately began drinking it, just like old times, according to Pearson.
"I just felt like I was going to faint. I couldn't believe he showed back up," Pearson said.
We asked how Oscar became such a fan of the Texas-made drink.
When Oscar was a foal, Pearson said, he placed his open Dr Pepper on a bench, and Oscar knocked it over and began drinking it.
After that, Pearson gave him sips of his drink every now and then, until it eventually became routine, and grew to be Oscar's favorite beverage.
Pearson said he wonders if someone was involved with Oscar's disappearance years ago, but for now, he's just happy to have him back home.
As to why Oscar came home?
"Oh, I don't know. He probably missed the Dr Pepper," Pearson said.
