Losing a pet can be a very difficult thing for a family to go through. When pets go missing, their owners are overcome with worry about what may have happened to their precious fur babies. It can be extremely hard to half wonder whether the animal will reappear and half accept that they are gone. One Florida family was grappling with these feelings when they attended a PetSmart adoption event in Jacksonville, Florida.
The family's dog had gone missing in August of 2019. They never gave up hope that they'd eventually bring their boy home. They were, however, looking to add a kitten to the family. As they waited in line at an adoption event at their local PetSmart, the father couldn't believe his eyes when he saw a dog being leashed up for a walk that looked exactly like the one they had lost. The unlikely reunion truly made the family's day and warmed hearts of onlookers.
More from LittleThings: Florida Mom Gives Birth To Baby Boy One Week After Losing Husband In Construction Accident
A Florida family found out the true meaning of being in the right place at the right time this weekend. The family was attending a Jacksonville Humane Society Generosity Breeds Joy adoption event at their local PetSmart.
The family was there to adopt a kitten. They were waiting in line at the event when the father spotted a brown-and-white dog who was being leashed up for a walk. The dog looked an awful lot like the family's dog, who had gone missing in August.
"That's my Dopey!" the dad shouted in the store. The dog heard his owner's voice and instantly perked up. The dog ran over and discovered his whole family standing right there. Both the family and the dog were totally elated.
Dopey arrived at the Jacksonville Humane Society on October 1. He was brought in by strangers who found him and believed he was a stray. Through the generosity of many people, Dopey found his way home to his family.
The Jacksonville Humane Society was feeling good after bringing Dopey and his family back together, but it wasn't the last reunion story they'd have. Just a few days later, the organization was able to reunite another lost pet with her family.
This reunion came thanks to the organization's Feline Frenzy mass spay and neuter event. After the cats are sedated to be spayed or neutered, they are scanned for a registered microchip. One little kitten was found to have one.
The person who found the kitten posted on the story shared on the Jacksonville Humane Society Facebook. He explained that he had brought the cat in along with others in the outdoor community he cares for after she showed up in his yard looking for food.
The organization then reached out to the cat's family based on the contact information on the microchip. Her owners rushed right over to pick her up and explained that she had gotten out a few months ago and never returned.
There have been so many beautiful stories about pet reunions recently. Last month, another Florida woman was reunited with her lost dog under extraordinary circumstances. Dutchess, a fox terrier, squeezed out of the door of her Orlando home back in 2007.
Her owner, Katheryn Strang, put up signs looking for her girl. She took daily trips to local animal shelters hoping Dutchess would turn up with no luck. In October, she got a phone call that changed all of that.
Dutchess was found living under a man's house in Pittsburgh. No one has any idea how the little pooch, now 14 years old, got there, but she was relieved to be reunited with Katheryn after 12 years apart.
These beautiful reunion stories are all different. Some are thanks to the wonder of microchipping, which all pet parents should consider. They can make a huge difference if something should happen, especially for animals who are frequently outdoors.
If your pet is microchipped, it's important to keep the information on their chip up to date. Be sure to contact your microchip company to update information in the event that your phone number or address changes.
In Dopey's case, his reunion with his family was a matter of fate. It's wonderful when pets and their families are brought back together. With so many options to make that easier, it's important for pet parents to be diligent.
