No matter what you do, things go wrong sometimes. It’s not necessarily your fault: our dogs are great at identifying what their boundaries are – and they’re even better at finding ways around those boundaries, even if it means getting lost.
Most lost dogs make it back home within a few days, but there are some cases when dogs are gone for weeks, months… or even years. Just look at this post from Tuesday, March 5th, when one dog mom’s nightmare turned into her dream come true after 10 entire years:
Related: Little Boy Being Reunited with Lost Dog Is Pure Joy
Cleo got loose in 2014, though her family hasn’t explained how it happened, and managed to evade the search party looking for her. After weeks of not turning up, searches died down, and her family resigned to just updating her microchip whenever they needed to and hoping for a miracle. They never gave up hope, even as years went by – and last week, that paid off.
Cleo ended up with the Humane Society of Tampa Bay after being brought in as a stray. Luckily, because her microchip had been consistently updated by her long-lost family, they were able to scan it and notify them that this sweet girl had been found and was ready to go home. The family had since moved to Miami, but they made the 4.5 hour drive up to get her with no hesitation!
Luckily, Cleo was in good health, despite ten years on the street. Now she gets to go home and live out her most important years with the people she loves, which is all that really matters!
Why Every Dog Needs a Microchip
The only reason why Cleo was able to reunite with her family was because they had been updating her microchip regularly. That’s the first thing rescues or veterinary offices check for when a dog (or a cat) gets surrendered to them: if your dog isn’t wearing a collar, the microchip is a failsafe that ensures they’ll still have your information.
Typically, insertion of a microchip happens at the same time as a spay/neuter surgery, but it can be scheduled separately if needed, like if the dog is a rescue. Many vets include it in the spay/neuter package, but a lot of shelters offer it for free or at least at a discounted rate. Pet stores sometimes offer it, too: it’s not a major surgery. Just injected with a needle!
Beyond just getting the microchip, you need to make sure it’s updated with your information whenever necessary. If you change your phone number or move away, you need to update the chip. As long as you do that, then you’re taking a big step to make sure your dog has every chance of being returned to you safely!
