When Midwest Animal ResQ discovered Little Buddy scavenging the streets of Raytown, Missouri, he appeared to be just like any other homeless pet.
Erin Morse, the founding director of Midwest Animal ResQ, stated to The Dodo that although he was a bit grimy when they found him, the pup was otherwise healthy. He was timid at first while in their facility but soon charmed everyone with his sweet disposition!
Little Buddy unknowingly had a hidden past – he’d been gone for six years. But, despite his long absence from the shelter, Little Buddy was unfazed as soon as he arrived and eagerly looked to form meaningful connections with those around him.
As Morse shared, “Anytime someone strolled by his cage, this pup would yelp and scratch the door demanding to be released. He conquered all our hearts in no time!”
When the animal control officers discovered Little Buddy, they noticed that he was microchipped. Consequently, they contacted his owner through chip alerts but received no response at first. However, when Little Buddy arrived safely at Midwest Animal ResQ their efforts had paid off.
“At first, his owners couldn’t believe it when they received the email alerts,” Morse shared. “But once we contacted them directly and told them that their long-lost pup had been located, they were ecstatic!”
“The news of his absence for nearly six years away from home was mind-boggling!” she continued.
In 2017, Little Buddy was rescued and given a loving home in Springfield, Missouri. Unfortunately for his dad, he soon went missing which left them at a loss as to where he disappeared to. Despite their best efforts of putting up fliers around the area and driving around searching endlessly with no avail – they even checked if anyone had contacted them using his microchip information without any results. According to local news station KMBC, all hope seemed lost until recently when an unexpected hero found him!
When Midwest Animal ResQ reached out, Little Buddy’s dad enthusiastically jumped in the car to take a long journey of four hours for their sweet reunion. The moment they saw each other again was just like time had never passed.
“Little Buddy sprinted over to his beloved father and his little tail moved so rapidly!” exclaimed Morse. “The second he took a whiff of his dad’s scent and heard the sound of his voice, Little Buddy began showering him with wet kisses. It was such an incredibly moving sight that there wasn’t one person in attendance whose eyes were still dry.”
We here at Midwest Animal ResQ rarely get to be a part of such uplifting occasions, so this reunion was particularly unforgettable.
Morse expressed their heartfelt joy at seeing such a heartwarming reunion between Buddy and the family that never lost hope of finding them. It was even more remarkable when they discovered the dad’s commitment to animal adoption and microchipping—it felt like it could have come straight out of a movie!
According to Morse, Little Buddy’s story epitomizes why microchipping your pets is crucial – but it’s also essential that you update your contact information regularly in case of disappearance.
To all the parents of missing pups out there, Morse conveys an uplifting message: never lose faith in your Little Buddy coming home. She asserted, “Never give up hope that one day your Little Buddy might be found!”
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