It is heartbreaking when a family loses their beloved pet to some sudden, unexpected event. For the humans, the experience is devastating.
But for the dogs, the pain can be even deeper. Many get lost by accident, and they spend months or even years trapped in fear and confusion, clinging only to the hope that they might one day see their family again.
This is the story of a dog who was missing for a very long time, avoiding help from strangers until his real family finally appeared at the shelter door.
Panda Goes Missing
All throughout her life, Panda had been a sweet and affectionate dog who loved nothing more than being with her family. Together, they made countless cherished memories, and the bond between them was irreplaceable.
But one morning, everything changed. Panda’s owner, Diana Luna Torres, woke up and discovered that Panda had vanished without a trace.
She told The Dodo: We’re not sure if they got out somehow. Nala came back the next morning, but Panda never did.
The Colorado family was devastated as the reality sank in. Their beloved dog wasn’t coming home on her own.
They immediately launched a search. Panda’s face appeared on flyers posted all over the neighborhood and across social media.
Torres continued by saying: We never stopped thinking about him. We would always think, ‘What if Panda is here?’ We would call out his name sometimes, or people would send us pictures and say, ‘Hey, I think we found Panda,’ and it was never him.
The family refused to give up hope. Yet what they didn’t know was that Panda had been taken in by Helping Hands Humane Society, who had no idea he had a family desperately searching for him.
A Life-Changing Phone Call
During his time at the shelter, Panda appeared despondent. He kept to himself and resisted any attempts at comfort from the staff.
When he finally calmed down somewhat, the workers decided to scan him for a microchip, believing there was a strong chance he belonged to someone.
Sure enough, the scan revealed his identity. Panda did have a family. The staff immediately contacted them with the long-awaited news.
Torres said: Just getting that call and to know that it was him, it was his chip number, it was amazing. We were full of emotions. We were very happy, very excited, at first — our first question was, ‘Is he doing OK? How is he?’
She continued by saying: They did mention to us that he wasn’t being friendly, so we were also worried about if he had any trauma. We weren’t sure if he was his old self.
Determined to be reunited, the family drove from Colorado to Kansas to see Panda again. Nobody knew how he would react, but they were filled with hope.
The instant they walked into the shelter, Panda recognized them. His eyes filled with tears of joy, and his tail wagged furiously as he cried out and begged to embrace his family again.
Back in his true home, Panda quickly returned to his happy, playful self, as if the long nightmare had never happened.
The family felt whole once more, overjoyed to have their beloved Panda safely back where he belonged.