Dog Owner Who 'Never Lost Hope' Reunites with Missing Pup 10 Years After Pet's Disappearance
Cleo the Cockapoo's owner, Luisa, kept the missing dog's microchip information updated, which helped with their reunion
A recent reunion between a Florida dog owner and their missing Cockapoo, who had been missing for 10 years, demonstrates the importance of keeping a pet's microchip up to date.
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay (HSTB) shared photos of the emotional reunion and Cleo the Cockapoo's story in an Instagram post on Wednesday,
The HSTB said the dog recently arrived at the shelter as a stray. When the dog came in, staff at the rescue scanned Cleo for a microchip and found one loaded with contact information. The information led to Cleo's owner, Luisa, who "was in disbelief when we called because Cleo (as we learned was her name) had run away TEN YEARS AGO!" the HSTB shared.
The shelter continued: "They never lost hope and continued to update her microchip in the small hope that they would be reunited, even after they moved to Miami!"
On Saturday, Luisa drove five hours from their new Miami home to Tampa Bay to reunite with Cleo.
"We were hoping for a happy ending and for her to be reunited with her owners but we did not foresee the joy that her story brought!" the HSTB's Instagram post added.
"This shows the power and importance of the microchip and never losing hope," the caption concluded.
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In late February, an Ohio-based dog owner named Hannah also reunited with her long-lost pup, a dog named Will.
Hannah's keen eye and instinctual love for Will helped her recognize her dog when Clear the Clermont County Animal Shelter — an animal welfare nonprofit that helps find homes for animals in the Clermont County Animal Shelter — posted about him on Facebook.
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Hannah contacted the organization and included details about when Will — renamed Rome by the shelter — went missing in 2019.
Clear the Clermont County Animal Shelter suggested Hannah meet up with the pup at a Valentine's Day adoption event. When the dog owner arrived at the event, it was clear that the dog she spotted online was her pooch, who had gone missing five years before.
The organization wrote on social media that "the reunion was nothing short of magical, a testament to the unwavering loyalty and love that exists between humans and their four-legged friends."
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