A dog known for his escape antics, Choco, vanished from his California home back in 2021 and has now been astonishingly discovered chained to a fence at a shelter over 3,000 miles away. Just in time for the holiday season, his owners are trying to make sense of his long and mysterious journey.
Patricia Orozco’s wire-haired dachshund mix, Choco, had gone missing in 2021. During the years since, Patricia and her husband welcomed two children into their family. Orozco often remarked how she missed Choco, almost like he was just a piece of everyday conversation.
“When a pet goes missing, you can’t help but worry. Is he okay? Is he being treated well?” she shared with reporters.
Then, in early December, an email from a microchip company caught her attention—Choco had been located in a place called Lincoln. Initially, she thought it could be Lincoln, California, which is just a short drive from Sacramento.
However, it turns out that over the course of five years, Choco made an incredible trek to Lincoln, Michigan, landing about 3,300 miles away from home.
Choco was discovered tied to a fence outside the Lincoln Park Animal Shelter. Orozco quickly jumped into action to arrange Choco’s return but found herself juggling the reunion with responsibilities at home, especially with a four-month-old baby in the mix.
Cindy Walden, a former animal control officer and a board member of Helping Paws and Claws, stepped in to assist. She managed to gather online donations to cover Choco’s travel costs, and several local charities came forward, including Penny Scott, who volunteered to transport Choco herself.
Another good Samaritan generously donated airline miles to help cover the flight. After a connection was missed, Scott spent some extra time with Choco at the airport. “He was so well-behaved—no growling or whining. I walked him through the airport on a leash,” she recounted.
Orozco was relieved that Choco didn’t slip away again during this chaotic journey, as he had a history of running off. “He was like a little sneaky delivery driver, almost like a canine version of Forrest Gump,” she said humorously.
When Choco, now 11 years old, finally returned to her arms, Orozco felt overwhelmed with emotion. She remembered her deep sorrow after he went missing, which had kept her from adopting another pet for a long time.
“This truly feels like a Christmas miracle,” she expressed joyfully.
She added that Choco remains as affectionate and snuggly as ever, always wanting to be right next to her. In light of this adventure, Orozco decided to install double gates to ensure that Choco wouldn’t escape again.
