When the Midwest Animal ResQ picked up a stray off the streets of Raytown, Missouri, they couldn’t even imagine that they would be part of a wonderful story.
As it turned out, this beautiful Jack Russell Terrier mix named ‘Little Buddy’ was a family dog that had been missing for nearly six years.
Erin Morse, the founder and president of Midwest Animal ResQ, told The Dodo, “He was dirty, but otherwise healthy. He was a little scared at the shelter, but quickly melted the hearts of staff and volunteers here.”
When animal control officers found Little Buddy on the streets, they noticed he was microchipped, but all of their chip alerts went unanswered.
Buddy’s owners actually thought that those alerts were a scam because a lot of time had passed since their beloved pet went missing. They didn’t believe they would ever see their beloved dog again.
Morse said, “Once we actually called the prior owner on the phone and told him we had his dog, he was over the moon.”
Little Buddy’s owner, Brian Gilpatrick, revealed that Buddy was reported stolen and missing almost six years ago.
He was adopted from a rescue organization in 2017 and lived happily with his family 40 miles outside of Springfield, Missouri… almost four hours away from the place where he was found.
It is unknown exactly how this dog made it to Raytown from his home, but they were all extremely happy to have found him.
“How he got up this far is beyond us. I never would have expected after this many years that the microchip would lead to him coming home,” Brian told the local news station, KMBC 9.
When Little Buddy disappeared from his home, the whole family was putting up fliers, driving around the neighborhood, and checking everywhere, but with no luck.
So, when Brian learned that his long-lost pup had been found, he immediately jumped in his car and drove for four hours to reunite with his furry best friend.
And, when they finally met again after all those years, there was not a single dry eye in the room.
Both Little Buddy and Brian couldn’t hide their happiness and excitement.
“Little Buddy went straight to his dad, and his little tail wagged so fast!” said Morse. “As soon as he got a good sniff and heard his dad’s voice, he immediately started licking his face. By that point, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place.”
This story is a great reminder of why every dog owner should have their dog microchipped. You never know when your best friend might get lost or stolen, and with the help of a microchip, you might get your dog back.
“It really warmed our hearts to see such a lovely reunion with someone who had never given up hope on finding their Little Buddy,” said Morse. “To be able to have a happy ending like this just makes all the difference.”
After all those years, Little Buddy did not forget his loving owner, and was happily wagging his tail and licking Brian’s face.
It was such a heartwarming moment.
“Little Buddy, do you remember me? Oh my gosh, it has been so long, Buddy… It’s so good to see you,” Brian said while petting his Little Buddy.
“You’re so much older than you were when we had you.”
This sentence is like a sad reminder of all those years that were lost while Little Buddy was missing, but thankfully, he’s home now and will hopefully spend the rest of his life with a loving family.
The family also has three other rescue dogs, so Little Buddy is definitely coming to a full house.
Dogs can be found, even after all those years…
Midwest Animal ResQ founder, Erin Morse, took this opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of microchipping your pets and keeping contact information up to date.
It’s those little things that can bring your beloved pet home.
Morse said, “Never give up hope that one day, your Little Buddy might be found!”
Check out the reunion video of Little Buddy and his dad, which brought everyone to tears:
