Florida Dog Reunited With His Owner In Michigan After Going Missing 7 YEARS AGO!

Don’t mind us: we are just sobbing here over this reunion news!

A dog was just reunited with its owner 7 years later after ending up at an animal shelter in Michigan — which was more than 1,000 miles away from where he went missing in 2014!

According to the Eaton County Animal Control, the pooch named Sgt. Pepper disappeared from his home in Florida when he was just 6 years old. And while his owner saw a “found” posting for him on Craigslist at the time, the Yorkshire terrier mix was already “claimed by someone who was not his real owner” when the family reached out to get the puppy.

And when she couldn’t track him down, the owner eventually filed a police report and contacted the company that manages the information on his microchip that he had been stolen. The animal control officials explained:

“While we don’t know every detail of Sgt Pepper’s journey, we did discover how he made it to Michigan. Sgt Pepper had been living with a family for the last 5 years who were unaware of his microchip and stolen status.”

But on Monday, Sgt. Pepper was found in Charlotte and handed over to the Eaton County Animal Control, who were able to contact the owner of the now-13-year-old doggie, all thanks to his microchip. The department said:

“We are grateful for their understanding that Sgt Pepper had to be reunited with his original family, and we ask that people please be sensitive towards their situation. This incredible story is a testament to the value of microchipping your pet and keeping your contact info current.”

The animal control officials explained that they were able to reach the pet parent “within minutes of having the dog in possession” because she had updated the contact information on his microchip back in February 2020. Sgt. Pepper’s owner flew out to Michigan and finally reconnected with her long-lost dog this week. In a statement, the shelter expressed how the heartwarming moment shows the importance of microchipping your pets, stating:

“This story also serves as a reminder why it is SO IMPORTANT to have all found dogs scanned for a microchip. It is also a great idea to have any new dog you acquire scanned for a microchip just in case, especially if any portion of the pet’s history is unknown.”

We love to see the happy ending for these two! You can take a look at the sweet reunion pictures (below):

[Image via Eaton County Animal Control/Facebook]