It's every dog owner's worst nightmare: your pet is nowhere to be seen. It's a gut-wrenching feeling, full of guilt and sleepless nights, and while most of us probably think of ourselves as responsible pet owners, things happen. It only takes one misstep for our beloved companions to get lost.
Luckily, some of them find a way home. Whether it's luck, kind strangers, or devoted shelter staff that guides them back, the most important thing is that it's possible. So, to remind you to hold onto hope, Bored Panda has compiled a list of these heartwarming happy endings, so get yourself a tissue and continue scrolling, this one's gonna be sobby.
#1 A Fearless Goat-Herding Dog Called Odin Refused To Abandon His Flock Of Goats During Deadly California Wildfires In 2017, While His Owners Ran To Safety. Days Later His Family Returned To Their Destroyed Home And Found Him And The Goats Still Alive
Miracles.
It was about 10:30 when we first smelled smoke from the approaching Tubbs fire that has ravaged Northern California. I ran up and down our roads on the ATV, but saw nothing. At 10:55 I could see the sky turning orange. I woke Ariel and told her to get ready to leave and went to wake Scott on the east end of the property. Stephen had already awoken from the smell of the smoke and the brightening sky.
By 11:10 we could see the first of the flames across the valley. By 11:15 they were growing larger and the winds went mad. We had loaded up the dogs and cats, but Odin, our stubborn and fearless Great Pyrenees would not leave the goats.
Even under the best of circumstances it is nearly impossible to separate Odin from the goats after nightfall when he takes over the close watch from his sister Tessa. I made a decision to leave him, and I doubt I could have made him come with us if I tried. We got out with our lives and what was in our pockets.
Cars behind us on Mark West Springs Road were pouring flames out of the windows as they roared down the road. Later that morning when we had outrun the fires I cried, sure that I had sentenced Odie to death, along with our precious family of bottle-raised goats.
Today, we were able to make it back to the smoldering wasteland of our forest. Every structure is in ruins. Trees are still burning.
Yet, eight goats came running to see us and get cuddles and kisses. Dixon has a burn on his back the size of a nickel. Other than that they are perfectly fine. Odin’s fur is burned and his whiskers melted. He is limping on his right leg. And he has adopted several baby deer who huddle around him for safety and water from their trough, which is miraculously intact and full of relatively clean water.
We dropped off several bails of orchard grass and gave them fresh water. Tomorrow we hope to reunite them all with his sister Tessa. I’m sure Odin believes she is perished. I can’t wait to see their faces when they see each other.
Odin has lived up to his namesake. Pray for him and his charges. He is our inspiration. If he can be so fearless in this maelstrom, surely so can we.
It was about 10:30 when we first smelled smoke from the approaching Tubbs fire that has ravaged Northern California. I ran up and down our roads on the ATV, but saw nothing. At 10:55 I could see the sky turning orange. I woke Ariel and told her to get ready to leave and went to wake Scott on the east end of the property. Stephen had already awoken from the smell of the smoke and the brightening sky.
By 11:10 we could see the first of the flames across the valley. By 11:15 they were growing larger and the winds went mad. We had loaded up the dogs and cats, but Odin, our stubborn and fearless Great Pyrenees would not leave the goats.
Even under the best of circumstances it is nearly impossible to separate Odin from the goats after nightfall when he takes over the close watch from his sister Tessa. I made a decision to leave him, and I doubt I could have made him come with us if I tried. We got out with our lives and what was in our pockets.
Cars behind us on Mark West Springs Road were pouring flames out of the windows as they roared down the road. Later that morning when we had outrun the fires I cried, sure that I had sentenced Odie to death, along with our precious family of bottle-raised goats.
Today, we were able to make it back to the smoldering wasteland of our forest. Every structure is in ruins. Trees are still burning.
Yet, eight goats came running to see us and get cuddles and kisses. Dixon has a burn on his back the size of a nickel. Other than that they are perfectly fine. Odin’s fur is burned and his whiskers melted. He is limping on his right leg. And he has adopted several baby deer who huddle around him for safety and water from their trough, which is miraculously intact and full of relatively clean water.
We dropped off several bails of orchard grass and gave them fresh water. Tomorrow we hope to reunite them all with his sister Tessa. I’m sure Odin believes she is perished. I can’t wait to see their faces when they see each other.
Odin has lived up to his namesake. Pray for him and his charges. He is our inspiration. If he can be so fearless in this maelstrom, surely so can we.
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374points
Temma Martin, Public Relations Manager at Best Friends Animal Society, who has worked at an animal control shelter for 11 years, said that no matter how careful we are, pets can still get lost, so it's much better to be prepared.
"Make sure your pet has more than one form of identification and find out what tags are required by law in your area," Martin told Bored Panda. "An ID tag is inexpensive and generally readily available at local stores. Include your name, current address, and phone number (two if possible). The ID tag is most convenient for anyone in your neighborhood who finds your pet."
In case the unthinkable happens and your pet gets lost, start looking in your neighborhood right away. "Ask anyone who is out if they have seen them, including postal carriers, neighbors, children, joggers, etc," Martin said. "Ask neighbors to check yards and garages where the pet might be hiding. Carry a leash or carrier with you, and make sure to have your cell phone in case someone calls you while you’re out looking."
Next, call all local veterinary practices and all animal rescue centers with a description of your dog and their microchip ID (if they have one). You can ask if they could put up a poster or post something on their website or social media page. If so, they will probably ask you for a recent photo.
"Check local social media pages and online classifieds for your area that post lost and found pets," Martin said. "Other platforms like NextDoor.com can be extremely helpful in posting lost and found pets in real-time."
#4 Dog Missing For Over Two Weeks Reunited With Owner At The City Of Jackson Animal Shelter
328points
#5 My Dog Brought Home A Friend. Turns Out It Is My Neighbors Golden Who Has Been Missing For 2 Weeks
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324points
Post a photo of your lost pet right away, and also keep an eye out for found pet postings. "People in your specific neighborhood may have seen the pet and can suggest where it was seen last. Many happy reunions have occurred quickly because of the power of social media."
#6 Twixx Has Been Missing 2 Years, And His Owner Thought He Was Dead, But Thanks To A Microchip They Reunited. Happy Tails Twixx
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303points
#7 The Sweetest Reunion
On November 18, we let our pug, Piper, out to go potty, and she didn’t come back when we called her. It had been a long two and a half weeks for my oldest two children, Carter and Natalie, thinking they would never see their puppy again. Piper was a very special gift for Carter’s 12th birthday: he had always wanted a black pug since he spent his baby years with another pug he loved very much (Oliver) who had to go live with another family while his baby brother was sick. We posted and shared and talked to neighbors, news venues, and community groups but as the days passed, our hope waned.
But then, amazingly we got a message this Monday night that a dog that looked like Piper had been picked up and taken to the animal shelter. I was truly shocked. We had all resigned ourselves to the reality that she probably wouldn’t come back. Lo and behold, it was her! Seeing her little tail wag as she came out from the back of the Genesee County Animal Shelter where she had been so well taken can of, I lost it!! Carter and Natalie were out of town for a few days with their dad's family, and so I hoped to make their reunions special. This video is no doubt the embodiment of that! It’s so amazing to see the love, and honestly, the video says more than any words I could write. My son loves his dog so much, was sick while she was gone, and tonight she’s sleeping next to him again. What a Christmas miracle for our family and thank you to everyone who helped bring Piper home.
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278points
You can also visit the shelter the first day if they are open (or call if they are not), and every day or every other day to look for your pet in person. Martin explained that people's perception of breed and description can vary, so relying on someone who doesn't know your pet to find it in the shelter may not be as effective as looking for yourself.
"Check with other shelters in your area and leave your info just in case. While there is generally only one animal control shelter that would serve the particular jurisdiction, there might be other non-profit shelters around (although these don’t often take in stray pets)," Martin said.
#8 My Husband Is A FedEx Driver. He Found A Lost Dog Today And Picked Him Up In His Truck. He Rode With Him Until He Was Safely Returned To His Owner
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277points
#9 A Stranger Drove Two Hours And Used His Drone To Recover Meadow, Who Was Lost In The Woods For 10 Days
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274points
"Create posters with a clear photo of your pet, with a brief description and more than one phone number. Place the flyers around your neighborhood and at local businesses," Martin said.
If your dog does come bounding back to you, greet them warmly. As frustrated and scared as you might be feeling inside, they need praise, not punishment for coming back!
If not, don’t give up! Lost pets have been found weeks, months, or even years after they went missing.
#10 A Reunion 200 Days In The Making
Just over 6 months ago, Blue went missing. His owner Pat searched and searched but couldn't find him. And then he had to move to Texas for his work. He thought he'd never see Blue again.
Imagine his joy when a friend sent him a video of his dog playing ball at our shelter! He contacted us right away..."That's my dog!" And then imagine this...
HE DROVE 1,200 MILES FROM TEXAS TO GET HIS BOY!!
We don't many happy endings like this one. There were some tears, tons of doggie kisses and lots of smiles. What a great story! We are so happy that the dog we named Bones is back with his dad and ready to catch up on some lovins.
This is why WE NEVER GIVE UP!
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257points
#11 My Neighbor Found His Lost Dog
The dog was lost for 4 or 5 weeks. I think he was driving far away from home yesterday and he saw his dog on the street, she was skinny so he said her name and BAM! It was Grettel (I think is the name of the dog)
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221points
#12 A Family In My Town Had Their Truck Stolen Last Week With Their Dog Inside. Today The Truck Was Recovered And The Dog Got To Reunite With His Family
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218points
#13 After 54 Days Missing From The Tornado That Leveled Our Home On March 3rd We Have Been Reunited With Our Dog Bella
To say that I wasn’t starting to lose hope in ever finding her again would be a lie. Me and my wife would pray daily that god was keeping her safe out there until he brought her home to us. Well today those prayers came true, at around 6 pm this evening we were able to catch Bella over off of willow in the save-A-Lot area in between a little alley way, there’s a few pictures of where she was at in the photos. This would never have been possible without the help of so many people. Thank you so much for never losing hope on our dog Bella. We are forever thankful for your help. At the moment our miracle dog has a full belly of food and is currently sleeping in a warm bed where she belongs. Once again thanks to everyone that either participated in searching for Bella or simply saying a prayer for her. We love all of y’all. What an amazing god we serve!!!
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218points
#14 Lost Our Girl In An Unfamiliar Town For 2 Days. This Is How We Spent The Rest Of The Day After Being Reunited
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214points
#15 Never Ever Lose Hope. I Didn't And After 4 Years Apart In Different Provinces, We Are Together Again
So I got the greatest phone call I've ever gotten yesterday at work around 2:40 pm... An animal shelter from Winnipeg called me and ask my name and if I had a dog named Jack!? So I said I lost him 4 years ago in Ontario. And then they said well we got your info from his microchip and he's here in Winnipeg. So, after the phone call, I ended up going home. Waiting for Kenzi to come home and we left that evening and stayed in Ignace. The next day we finished the drive to Winnipeg, and me, Kenzi, my sister and husband went to the shelter and told them who I was, showed them a picture of me and jack and they brought him out and instantly felt like my life was back to normal. Life without him has never been the same and the feeling of having Jacko back is unexplainable. Never EVER lose hope... I didn't and after 4 years apart in different provinces, we are together again.
Thank you for the work you guys did to find me. Can't express the amount of joy you have given back to me. Jeremy Browne, and Centennial Animal Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
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207points
#16 After 20 Long Months Of Being In The Tahoe National Forest, Murphy Has Come Home
We responded to a call from a couple who spotted a dog matching her description in an area within 5 miles of where we lost her. After multiple days looking for her without success, we left her bed and our clothing behind with the campground host, in the hopes that she would respond. A week went by and we got a call from the campground host who was able to coax her into a kennel after she had been sleeping every night on the blanket and clothing that was left behind. We were reunited with Murphy, on Sunday afternoon - Father's Day! She is on the road to recovery, very thin and frail but happy to be home with her family.
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205points
#17 This Sweet Doggo’s Face After Being Reunited With His Dad After 7 Months
Was brought to the shelter and scanned for microchip - info was up to date and dad came right away.
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200points
#18 Zoe Returns Home After Being Lost In The Woods For Nearly A Year
We were told that she had been struck by a car and passed away. The dog described matched her description and location. However, after receiving a call last night and seeing some pictures, we found out our Zoe is still alive.This is definitely a miracle!
187points
#19 Lost For 6 Years, Alex Is Reunited With His Family
In 2013, 2-month-old Chihuahua pup, Alex, found his forever home with the Stone family in Naples, Florida. Life was great with his very own two boys and a big dog brother Thunder until his dog bro moved away with Grandma. Alex was distraught and dug out of his fenced yard likely in search of Thunder. Alex’s heartbroken family searched and searched on their own too, but the weeks turned into months, which led to years, and they heard nothing. They never forgot Alex as he remained in their hearts.
Just this past Valentine’s holiday, 6 years later, a Good Samaritan in Sumter County, Florida (225+ miles away) found this little bedraggled dog and brought him to YOUR Humane Society SPCA, Sumter’s oldest and largest no-kill shelter serving their community for 38 years.
The shelter’s team scanned the dog for a microchip, and suddenly this lost pup had a name – Alex – and Alex had a family! The reunion took place on Valentine’s weekend and what a reunion it was! The anxious family was concerned that their then puppy would not remember them now but Alex could not contain his sheer joy of seeing them again. They all stood hugging a giddy pup who regained his identity and his long lost family. The family cried, the shelter staff and volunteers cried, this story-writer cried, all while Alex wriggled in sheer delight. Later, Alex had more good fortune as he was also reunited with his best bud Thunder! There is nothing more touching than finding your long-lost love. YOUR Humane Society SPCA was so pleased to make another wonderful reunion happen!
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183points
#20 Today He Was Attacked On A Walk By A Pit Bull And Bulldog. During The Attack He Slipped Out Of His Collar And Ran Away
We thought we lost him only to return home and find him sitting at the front door. I love this dog.
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178points