A man in Chicago, USA, had lost his dog Pete ten years ago, but he never gave up hope of finding him. Recently, with the help of the police and the animal control department, the man finally reunited with his long-lost beloved pet.
According to reports from the United International News Agency on October 8th, the 51-year-old Chicago resident, Edmon Lighthall, said that his dog Pete, a mixed breed poodle, went missing after escaping from home ten years ago.
Despite the fruitless search, Lighthall and his family believed that Pete had been taken in by someone else, but he never gave up hope of finding him.
Lighthall told ABC’s “Good Morning America” program that he had never forgotten Pete over the years. “I would say, ‘If he’s still alive, I’ll see him again.'”
As Lighthall had hoped, he finally had the chance to reunite with Pete. On September 22nd, he received a call from a pet microchip registration company informing him that Pete had been found in Hammond, Indiana.
Lighthall immediately contacted Laney from the Hammond Animal Control Department. She explained that local police found Pete walking on the street and contacted his new owner through the phone number on his tag. The new owner expressed unwillingness to keep Pete, who had been renamed Stewie.
Subsequently, the police used the microchip on Pete to locate Lighthall. The next day, Lighthall went to Hammond to bring Pete back home and held a “welcome home” party for him.
Lighthall mentioned that they went on a picnic to the park. He introduced Pete to his other dog and several dogs from different families and friends. “It was a great experience.”
Speaking to NBC, Lighthall said, “He’s aged a lot since the last time I saw him… but he’s just like yesterday. It’s like picking up where we left off. I’m happy, he’s happy, everyone who hears this story is happy. I am very grateful to the staff at the animal control department. They found my dog.”
The Hammond Police Department overseeing the animal control department in Hammond, along with Lighthall, expressed hope that others would realize the importance of microchipping pets after hearing Pete’s story.
A spokesperson for the Hammond Police Department stated in a press release, “This story is a fantastic example of why microchipping is effective. Even after 10 years, this little guy was able to reunite with his family because of that tiny chip.”