Lost dog’s owners were ‘starting to lose hope’ — then came a call from 275 miles away
A missing dog’s owners were “starting to lose hope” that he would be found — then came a call from 275 miles away.
A Florida animal shelter told the Miami family their beloved pup was picked up as a stray in Tampa, a nearly 300-mile drive across the state. Then the owners prepared for an “emotional” reunion.
“They were so overjoyed and hopped in their car to make the drive to Tampa to reclaim Ace,” the Humane Society of Tampa Bay wrote May 2 on Facebook.
Heartwarming photos shared online show the father and son greeting Ace for the first time in months.
“Everyone at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay was overjoyed and excited for this reunion,” the shelter told McClatchy News in an email. “Ace’s family was so happy to be reunited and we could tell Ace missed them too.”
The shelter, which erupted in “cheers and applause” over the good news, said Ace first arrived as a stray in late April. He was “in pretty good shape,” and workers discovered he had a microchip, a device that stores owners’ contact information.
The humane society reached out to the family and learned that Ace had escaped from their Miami yard in December.
“They never stopped looking but were starting to lose hope as it got closer to May,” the shelter wrote. “But then HSTB called.”
The family’s touching story resonated with more than 4,000 Facebook and Instagram users, with several pointing out the importance of the dog’s microchip. Animal organizations have encouraged pet owners to get them in case their furry friends go missing, McClatchy News reported.
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