Sadly, microchips are not often tested soon away, despite the fact that they have helped reunite countless dogs and people. Despite having a current microchip, Harley the Pit Bull was lost for eight years. Although his family was saddened, they never lost faith that their devoted dog would come home at some point.
Harley was in terrible condition when he was finally discovered, with overgrown nails and serious malnutrition. The dog was, however, still as upbeat and loving as can be in spite of everything he had to go through. His story has a happy conclusion, serving as a helpful lesson for pet loss families to never give up.
8 years since last seen
At her Florida house in February 2014, Betsy Dehaan allowed her dogs to go potty outside. They fled into the surrounding woods as she briefly turned her head away, and when she turned back, Harley was gone. Dehaan wished someone would come across the young dog and scan his microchip because Harley was just a few years old at the time.
"We looked, and we put up flyers about lost pets. We never gave up looking, added Dehaan.
Sadly, though, no sightings were reported for years. Even though Harley was gone for eight years, his family never stopped missing him. Dehaan was remembering Harley one morning and gushing about what a good dog he was when she received an odd phone call.Dehaan received a text message informing her that her dog had been found and was now at Lee County Domestic Animal Services. Dehaan at first assumed it was a joke.
"Am I thinking, 'Is this a scam?'" Since we had been discussing him that morning," Dehaan said. You know how you think Google always picks up on your adverts, right? I read the content. I think, "This is a con." This is not true.
A Fantastic Surprise
However, it wasn't a ruse. Harley was actually the dog at the Florida animal shelter. The dangerously underweight puppy was discovered and taken to Cypress Lake Animal Hospital by Angie Bray. Dehaan's number was revealed when Harley's microchip was scanned.
"I started to cry. To imagine being separated from my animals and unable to locate them was just awful, claimed Bray.
Since Harley went missing, Dehann relocated from Florida to Missouri, but she didn't let that stop her. She traveled more than a thousand miles to pick him up, and before she ever saw him, she started crying.
When a staff member took Harley out beside his mom, his tail wagged like crazy and he gave her tons of kisses. He’s a lot older than the last time Dehaan saw him, but he has just as much love to give.
This anecdote is a wonderful reminder that dog parents should microchip their pets. It may help bring them home no matter how long they’ve been lost. Always make sure your current contact information is included on your dog's identification tag and microchip.