Furry Tails: Dog, Missing For 3 Years, To Be Reunited With Owner Thanks To Microchip
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Prince went missing three years ago from his home in Cleveland, Ohio.
His owner had all but given up hope on ever finding her long-lost pup, but then, technology happened. Technology in the form of a microchip.
Thanks to the tiny device, the staff at Humane Animal Rescue in Pittsburgh's East End have arranged a reunion for the ages this weekend.
"If she did not have that microchip, we would have never known to look for her. It goes to show; even out of state they can be traced," said Humane Animal Rescue CEO Dan Rossi.
How Prince got from Cleveland to Pittsburgh may never be known, but Rossi says he was taken in by a local family who told the shelter they got him through Facebook.
Unable to care for the little dog any longer, the family recently took the dog to Humane Animal Rescue.
"So we started processing the animal, found that there was actually a microchip in the animal. We always check microchips to verify owners. The microchip did not register to the people that brought the dog in," Rossi said. "So we did a little research, located the person that the microchip went to, and apparently, it belongs to a lady from Cleveland."
Now, three years later and one state away, the woman and her long-lost Prince will be reunited at the shelter on Sunday. Rossi says Prince's owner was in disbelief when she got the call.
"I think at this point she had given up all hope," Rossi said. "So she was, of course, thrilled to find out that her dog was still alive and that she was actually going to have him again."
Rossi says Prince's happily ever after would not have been possible without the microchip. The shelter says the technology is an integral part of their mission and every one of their adoptable animals have one.
"If you're dog does not have a microchip, this shows how important that is," said Rossi. "If your dog does get lost or away from you, it really helps with reuniting your animal back to you."
If you'd like to get your pet microchipped, Humane Animal Rescue has clinics throughout the year. For more information, visit their website here. Or contact your veterinarian.
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