Every day, there are countless stories about dogs that can warm or break our hearts. They remind us that dogs, much like people, can go through unpredictable chapters in their lives.
For one particular dog, life seemed to begin on the right path. She was adopted early, loved deeply, and appeared to have a secure, happy home. But years later, her story took a surprising turn that no one could have foreseen.
That twist came to light when animal control officers in Chicago, Illinois, found her wandering alone.
Back Where It All Began
The team at Animal Education and Rescue (AEAR) in Libertyville, Illinois, was taken aback when they received a call from the North Chicago Police Department about a stray dog. The shock only deepened when they learned who she was.
“The Police Department contacted us because her microchip led the officer to the original owners who did not respond to his phone call and led to us as the rescue that took the dog in,” they wrote in a Facebook post.
The stray turned out to be Lola, previously known as Greta, who had once lived at the AEAR shelter back in 2012 before being adopted.
Sandy, the founder and director of AEAR, immediately began investigating how Lola had ended up back where she started. She spent hours making calls, determined to uncover the truth about the dog’s missing years.
Her search revealed that Lola’s first adoptive family had sold her to another owner. Sandy eventually managed to obtain a phone number, but when she called, the man on the other end denied knowing anything about the dog.
“The man that answered the phone said that he doesn’t know any person by that name and has not lost a dog,” Sandy wrote. “I’m not so sure he’s telling the truth. It’s hard to say.”
Even with the lack of cooperation, Sandy refused to give up.
Tracing Lola’s 13-Year Journey
After several days of research, Sandy finally pieced together what had happened during Lola’s long journey.
According to the media outlet, Lola had lived with her original adoptive family for seven years. When they divorced in 2020, the husband kept her for a short time before giving her to another family.
That new family frequently moved homes, and Lola even stayed with one of their relatives for a while. They described her as gentle but prone to wandering off and returning on her own.
Eventually, the woman’s adult son gave Lola to another man who brought her to a local shelter. From there, she ended up at North Chicago Animal Control, and her microchip finally led her back to AEAR.
Sandy also learned that Lola’s most recent family had chosen to give her up because of her age and declining health. But her story was not about to end there.
A Second Chance At Comfort
When Lola arrived back at AEAR, her condition showed the toll of her long and difficult years.
“Lola is also morbidly obese and is having a hard time getting around. It’s understandable, considering her weight and her age,” Sandy shared in a Facebook post.
Her nails were extremely long, so volunteer Annie Kane carefully trimmed them. The team then arranged a grooming session to help restore Lola’s soft coat and give her the comfort she deserved.
Given her advanced age and limited mobility, Sandy feared adoption might be unlikely. But then Amanda, one of AEAR’s longtime fosters, stepped forward.
Touched by Lola’s resilience and story, Amanda decided that if no one adopted her, she would provide her with a loving home for the rest of her life.
Thanks to the efforts of compassionate rescuers and volunteers, Lola’s long and mysterious journey has finally come full circle, ending not in loneliness, but in love and safety.