A dog has been emotionally reunited with her owner a whopping 12 years after the pooch went missing.
Poor 13-year-old Zoey had been lost for so long that her microchip was listed as "deceased" on manufacturer records.
But thanks to impressive pet detective work from the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office in California, Zoey's former owner was tracked down once a member of public reported they had found a dog.
Animal lovers shared their joy and praise for the department on Facebook for managing to put a roof over Zoey's head once more.
Someone called the police on February 10 alerting them to a dog that had been dumped outside a house in the countryside.
Her state condition was described by the sheriff's office as "old and unwell".
She has now re-joined not only her owner but sister from the same litter too.
Speaking on a video filmed and shared by the police, Zoey's owner Michelle said: "Honestly I am still in shock. We got her at the pound when she was six months old with her twin sister.
"They were with us for about six months, and then we went to the store for about 20 minutes and came back, and she was missing.
"I definitely didn’t expect this to ever happen, so I’m really excited."
When Animal Service Officer Brandon Levin first scanned Zoey's microchip, it revealed that she had been reported missing 60 miles away from from Lafayette, California in 2010.
After five years missing, the company that manufactures her microchip listed her as “deceased” in their records but luckily her owners still have the same contact number.
The sheriff’s office called them and arranged a reunion in Rio Vista.
On Friday afternoon, the sheriff’s office shared a video of Michelle seeing Zoey for the first time which warmed followers' hearts.
For more incredible stories from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here
One person commented on the video: "So happy they got reunited. Makes my heart melt. Thank you San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office and to the person that made that call."
A second wrote: "Thank you so much officer Levin for saving this dog. I hope with all of my heart that this sweet little girl gets all of the love hugs and kisses that she so deserves and lives a happy and safe life with her owner."
"Thank you for doing such an awesome job. As a pup owner I would be thrilled to get my baby back, so thank you again for helping this pup find her way home again," a third said.
Source: Read Full Article