Diesel the Great Dane found after being lost when owner struck by vehicle

For a few short hours Diesel the Great Dane was missing in action, leaving his 24-year-old owner frantic.

But all is well. He has been found, evidently in good health.

Standing a full metre tall on all fours, with tiger-like stripes, Diesel should not have been hard to spot. He nonetheless did a vanishing act Tuesday night after he and his unidentified owner were struck by a truck on Toronto's east side.

The pair were talking a walk late in the afternoon on Danforth Avenue when they were both struck by a tow truck heading north on Kennedy Road.

Diesel's owner  was taken to hospital with minor injuries, but in the confusion she lost Diesel, who broke free and fled.

Eighteen months old, with orange and brown stripes, he's a handsome fellow and Toronto police swiftly issued a short news release, complete with photo.

But the alarm was short lived.

"He was located last night," said Sergeant John Murphy of 41 Division. "She's got him back."

It was unclear whether Diesel also sustained any injuries, but if he did the fact that both he and his owner were both home suggest they were not serious.

And later it turned out that Diesel had not really been lost at all.

He made his own way home and was waiting for his owner when she returned in the evening from hospital, Sgt. Murphy said.