A timid dog named Opie, who escaped from his California home during a storm in July, was found safe and sound two months later—over 2,000 miles away. Thanks to his microchip, the search for him had a happy ending.
Opie, a 5-year-old mix between a corgi and a shepherd, went missing for nearly two months after he bolted from his home.
While his owner worried about his fate, the little dog was on an unexpected journey across the nation.
On September 28, Opie was found wandering near Chicago, a staggering distance of over 2,000 miles from his home, and was brought to the Itasca Police Department.
Upon being taken in, Opie’s collar surprisingly identified him with a different name, as explained by DuPage County Animal Services Administrator Laura Flamion in an interview with the LA Times.
The police officers utilized a scanner to read Opie’s microchip, which allowed them to contact his owner.
Initially, Opie’s owner thought it might be a hoax.
The entire situation seemed unbelievable to her. She had a hard time comprehending how her dog could end up in Illinois and wasn’t convinced Opie was actually coming home until she personally contacted the police department, Flamion relayed to the publication.
Once she received confirmation, Opie’s owner wasted no time and rushed to get her furry friend back. On October 1, just two days after the call about Opie’s finding, she arrived at DuPage County Animal Services to reclaim her beloved dog.
Now, she’s making her way back to California with Opie, taking in the familiar sights as they travel home together.
“She didn’t delay at all. I spoke with her, and she had already reached South Dakota on her journey back,” Flamion mentioned to the publication.
Initially, Opie’s owner had traced him to a gas station in July, but the lead quickly vanished. Flamion suspects someone may have taken him after he ran away and somehow transported him all the way to Illinois.
Flamion highlighted the significance of keeping microchip information updated, especially in cases where a pet could have potentially been taken, to ensure that rightful owners are contacted first.
In a similar case, a cat that vanished from her Florida home over the Fourth of July holiday resurfaced at a North Carolina shelter in early September. Her microchip led back to her Florida family.
Additionally, one elderly dog was reunited with his family after being lost for three long years. Though he was in rough shape, malnourished and with several teeth missing, he was joyful to spend the last part of his life back home.
