Dog Found Safe After Two Months on the Road
A dog that had gone missing from his California home in July has been safely returned, two months later, thanks to his microchip. He was discovered about 2,000 miles away.
Opie, a five-year-old Corgi Shepherd mix, escaped during a storm and was missing for quite some time. His owner, understandably concerned, feared the worst while Opie was, it seems, wandering around.
On September 28th, he was found on the outskirts of Chicago, having traveled over 2,000 miles from California. The Itasca Police were the ones who took him in.
Interestingly enough, when he was found, Opie’s collar identified him as a different dog, according to Laura Flamion from Dupage County Animal Services. The officer there scanned Opie’s microchip, which led to the owner being contacted.
At first, his owner thought it was some kind of prank. She struggled with the idea of how her dog could be so far away, especially since Opie was never really tied down at home until she reached out to the police department, Flamion explained.
After receiving the call about Opie’s safety, she didn’t hesitate. She drove all the way to Dupage County Animal Services to pick him up on October 1st, just two days after the discovery.
They made their way back to California, capturing the familiar sights along the road. Flamion noted, “She wasted no time. I spoke to her. She drove all the way from South Dakota.”
Initially, in July, the search started when Opie was seen at a local gas station, but the trail went cold rather quickly. Flamion speculated that after the storm, somebody might have taken him and ended up bringing him to Illinois.
This situation highlights the importance of keeping microchip information current, especially if a pet may be stolen.
In other pet news, a cat that disappeared from its Florida home during the July 4th weekend was located weeks later in a North Carolina shelter. Similarly, one old dog returned after being missing for three years, albeit in poor condition, but was ultimately happy to be home.
