It’s no secret that shelters come across many dogs with unknown pasts and uncertain futures. Stray pups often arrive thin, tired, and carrying the weight of survival.
That’s exactly how Chase, a dog roaming the Missouri streets, first appeared at the Saint Louis County Pet Adoption Center. He was scared, severely matted, and had nails so long he could barely walk.
Yet, despite his condition, he immediately warmed up to his rescuers.
What no one realized at the time was that Chase’s story was far from ordinary. His microchip was hiding a big secret, and before long, it shocked the entire rescue team.
A Stunning Twist Nobody Saw Coming
The moment the Missouri shelter staff saw Chase, they knew he had been struggling. His matted coat and overgrown nails were evidence of a rough life he had been living on the streets, so they decided to do something about it.
“Chase came to our shelter in rough shape. His fur was severely matted and he was crawling with fleas. Yet, while he had clearly been on his own for quite a while, Chase was just the most loving dog. That led us to believe that he came from a great home and was just trying to find his way back,” the Missouri shelter shared on Facebook.
The rescue team took him in, gave him a nice bath, trimmed his nails, and shaved his matted fur. In just a few hours, Chase looked like a brand-new dog.
But, that wasn’t all.
While no one particularly expected Chase to have an extraordinary story, the team’s regular procedure required a microchip scan. What happened next left everyone absolutely speechless!
As it turned out, Chase already had a home and an owner, one that had been missing him for months.
The rescue immediately contacted Kimwanna, Chase’s owner, who in the meantime had moved to Chicago. According to her, Chase had gone missing after escaping his home one day during a potty break, and the two never saw each other again.
And now, he was finally found, safe and sound.
“Safe to say, she was ECSTATIC when she got our call!! Within hours, Chase’s Mom had a train ticket booked and was on her way back to St. Louis to reunite with Chase,” the shelter added.
The Sweetest Reunion
It is always emotional to see dogs go home. But this time, it was more than that! Reunions like Chase and Kimwanna’s carry a special kind of weight.
When the moment finally came, Chase wagged his tail as if no time had passed. The two showered each other with affection, grateful for finally being together.
There was no doubt: Chase remembered his momma, and now he was on the way to a new home.
“With a doggie gift bag from one of our amazing volunteers and a fresh new haircut, Chase and his Mom hopped back on the train and, this time TOGETHER, made the trip to their new home in Chicago,” the rescue concluded.
Chase and his mom got a new shot at happiness, all thanks to a microchip.
Without it, he may have been listed as another anonymous stray and put up for adoption. This way, he was given back to the person he had been missing all along.
His story is a testament to how important it is to microchip your dog. It doesn’t just identify a pet, but also keeps it safe and, if needed, bridges lost connections.