Current:Home > Invest3 years and 300 miles later, Texas family reunited with lost dog-VaTradeCoin
3 years and 300 miles later, Texas family reunited with lost dog
View Date:2025-01-08 15:44:26
A Texas family has reunited with their dog, who has been missing for over three years, all thanks to the dog's microchip.
In July 2020, Rex and Britnee Smith realized their two pit bulls, Jack and Jill, were no longer in their fenced backyard in Little Rock Arkansas.
The couple did everything to find their beloved dogs. they went door to door in their neighborhood, including putting up posters, reaching out to animal shelters and vets' offices and posting on social media.
It was a sad time for the Smiths, especially for their daughter who was 5 years old at the time and had a special bond with the dogs.
Dog abandoned at airport:Traveler faces charges after abandoning dog at airport, boarding flight
Eventually, the Smiths and their two children had to relocate about 300 miles away to McKinney, Texas. They still occasionally received calls from shelters or got pictures of dogs that could be theirs, but Jack and Jill were never located.
The Smiths describe Jack and Jill as beautiful family dogs with great temperaments. While they'd heard stories about dogs being found and returned to their owners via microchips, they never expected that to happen to them.
"I didn't think our dogs would ever come back because they're such great dogs and I know no one would ever just turn them in or take them to the vet," said Britnee.
Rex said the family did lose hope of ever finding their dogs again, but they never forgot about them.
Then in late July, the Little Rock Animal Village called Rex to inform him Jill had been found. He immediately called Britnee, who cried tears of joy.
Dog gets wheelchair:Dog gifted wheelchair by Mercedes Benz after being ran over by a car
'It's like she never left us'
Britnee said she was a little nervous as they drove to pick up Jill, worried that she wouldn't remember them or had changed to be more aggressive. But that wasn't the case.
"It's like she never left us," Britnee said "We picked up right off when she left three years ago. She came right into our arms."
She said seeing her daughter's reaction to being reunited with Jill brought her indescribable joy.
The Smiths said they are unsure what happened to Jill in the three years away, although she had been found just a few blocks away from their old house.
"We wish she could talk," Rex said. "We have so many questions and we just want to ask her 'Take us from the beginning, what happened?'"
Jill was overall healthy but had suffered some scratches and scrapes. Her paws were raw, likely from the 100-degree heat in Arkansas.
Britnee immediately took her to the vet and dog spa, where Jill had her nails clipped, her teeth brushed and her fur groomed.
On day four of being home, Jill has a pep in her step and has reacclimated to being home, the family said. When their daughter lay down to take a nap, Jill slept right next to her.
"We found our family member," Rex said.
The family is still on the lookout for Jack and hopeful he may show up in the same neighborhood where Jill was found.
veryGood! (39723)
Related
- Why Dolly Parton Is a Fan of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Little Love Affair
- Olympic gymnastics recap: US men win bronze in team final, first medal in 16 years
- Chinese glass maker says it wasn’t target of raid at US plant featured in Oscar-winning film
- 'Mothers' Instinct': Biggest changes between book and Anne Hathaway movie
- 'Dangerous and unsanitary' conditions at Georgia jail violate Constitution, feds say
- Swarm of dragonflies startles beachgoers in Rhode Island
- Sliding out of summer: Many US schools are underway as others have weeks of vacation left
- Borel Fire in Kern County has burned thousands of acres, destroyed mining town Havilah
- Threat closes Spokane City Hall and cancels council meeting in Washington state
- 2 Children Dead, 9 Others Injured in Stabbing at Taylor Swift-Themed Event in England
Ranking
- Mike Tyson impresses crowd during workout ahead of Jake Paul fight
- USDA moves to limit salmonella in raw poultry products
- Olympics commentator Bob Ballard dumped after sexist remark during swimming competition
- Texas senators grill utility executives about massive power failure after Hurricane Beryl
- Conviction and 7-year sentence for Alex Murdaugh’s banker overturned in appeal of juror’s dismissal
- Arab American leaders are listening as Kamala Harris moves to shore up key swing-state support
- 'Lord of the Rings' exclusive: See how Ents, creatures come alive in 'Rings of Power'
- Canada appeals Olympic women's soccer spying penalty, decision expected Wednesday
Recommendation
-
Federal judge denies request to block measure revoking Arkansas casino license
-
Nellie Biles talks reaction to Simone Biles' calf tweak, pride in watching her at Olympics
-
Olympic qualifying wasn’t the first time Simone Biles tweaked an injury. That’s simply gymnastics
-
Team USA Water Polo Star Maggie Steffens' Sister-in-Law Dies After Traveling to Paris Olympics
-
Are Dancing with the Stars’ Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber Living Together? She Says…
-
Jessica Springsteen goes to Bruce and E Street Band show at Wembley instead of Olympics
-
New England Patriots DT Christian Barmore diagnosed with blood clots
-
Federal Reserve is edging closer to cutting rates. The question will soon be, how fast?