JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — A woman's pet parrot that flew away from her in Johnson City turned up hundreds of miles away in Long Island, N.Y., despite being a weak flyer.

Kim Kendrick lost her 47-year-old Amazon parrot, Buzzy, nearly two months ago while walking with him outside. But she got an unexpected phone call Tuesday from a New Yorker named Josh Ruderman, who said he had found Buzzy.

"When I heard he was in New York I was skeptical at first," Kendrick said. "But then I talked with Buzzy on the phone and Josh sent me photos and it's no doubt that it's him."

The bird didn't fly to New York. Ruderman had been visiting East Tennessee for two months and found Buzzy in Johnson City four days after Kendrick lost him on Aug. 14.

Ruderman said he searched the papers during the last three weeks of his visit, but could not find Buzzy's owner. So Ruderman took him home to Long Island.

Ruderman finally found Buzzy's grateful owner after reading a Sept. 20 article in the Johnson City Press about the missing parrot and e-mailed her Tuesday.

"It really is nice when a story comes together with a happy ending, but for me I will miss Buzzy very much," Ruderman said.

Kendrick said she planned to drive up from Tennessee to Long Island next week to pick up Buzzy.

BENTON, Ky. — A 15-pound pooch that fended off an intruder to defend its owner has earned a spot in the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association's Animal Hall of Fame.

Teddy Bear, a 4-year-old Pomeranian owned by Leslie Ferguson, 24, bit an armed robber in April and created enough of a distraction that Ferguson could escape to a neighbor's house. The dog was inducted into the association's Hall of Fame on Saturday.

"My husband was out of town," Ferguson said. "He was on active duty in the military, and I had a guy break into my house with a gun.

"He tried to force me into another room. We ended up wrestling for the gun, and Teddy bit him and latched onto his hand. I was able to get the gun from the guy. He ended up getting the gun back, but Teddy distracted him long enough where I could get out of the house."

Ferguson said Teddy Bear never hesitated, even though he had never been vicious toward anyone.

"I guess he realized that I was in danger, and he just took action," Ferguson said. "He did great."

"Teddy followed me and pretty much didn't let me out of his sight until the next day," she said. "He still keeps a close eye on me."