Zoey, a small dog adopted from a local pound in 2010, went missing soon after she was adopted. Zoey was found just miles away in 2022, nearly 12 years later, and they were finally reunited.
A call was received by the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Office in California regarding a dog that appeared to be sick and had been left on someone’s lawn outside of Stockton. “We got a call that a black SUV had dumped a dog on this lady’s property,” Animal Services Officer Brandon Levin said, adding that they checked for a microchip and the dog had one.
When they scanned the chip, which contains the dog’s address and ownership information, Levin was surprised to find that Zoey had gone missing – in 2010.
Zoey was reported lost in Lafayette, California, but officials found that her original owners had moved to another town some 18 miles away.
“We got her at the pound when she was six months old with her twin sister,” said Zoey’s owner, Michelle. “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.”
The data on the dog’s microchip was so old that it said she was “deceased.” She is, however, very much alive, and her family was willing to come to get her.
Michelle met Levin to reunite with her long-lost dog in nearby Rio Vista. Michelle remarked on how little Zoey had grown when she first met her.
“Honestly, I’m in shock. I definitely didn’t expect this to ever happen, so I’m really excited. Excited to hopefully bring her back, get her healthy, and live the rest of her life,” Michelle said.
After more than a decade apart, they brought 13-year-old Zoey back home, where she will meet a new companion. Michelle said her family has one other 13-year-old dog, who is “slow and friendly.”