Five years ago, during Hurricane Laura, a six-pound Yorkshire terrier named Kingston went missing in Lake Charles, Louisiana. This isn’t just any lost dog story, though.
His owner, Debbie Lafleur, feared the worst as she searched for him. But, unexpectedly, Kingston turned up in a surprising location.
“I never thought I’d see him again,” Lafleur shared with KBTX. “Never once.”
In early April, Kingston, now 11, was found lounging at the back of the Kappa Sigma House at Southern Mississippi University.
“There’s this Yorkie just chilling in a red t-shirt,” said Fraternity President Neil Rachal, speaking to CNN.
The fraternity brothers quickly grew fond of him, referring to him as “Benji,” and treated him like family. He seemed to fit right in, joining in on their fun and sharing their snacks.
“He’s like a member of this chapter now,” Rachal mentioned to KBTX, noting that Kingston had been part of their activities the week prior.
Curiosity eventually got the better of them, leading to a brother bringing in a new puppy. When they scanned for a microchip, they discovered the truth: “Benji” was actually Kingston, reported missing five years before in Lake Charles.
Debbie had taken the precaution of microchipping Kingston at the University Animal Clinic back then. Dr. Sarah Gidley explained that this is how the fraternity identified him after five years. The microchip still linked him to his rightful owner.
Immediately after confirming Kingston’s identity, the fraternity reached out to Lafleur.
While at work in Louisiana, Debbie received the news.
“My heart started to pound,” she recalled. “Before I could even call him, he called me. I told my boss, ‘I found Kingston! I found Kingston!’ And we both began screaming.”
Without wasting any time, she and her son, Jared, hit the road for a four-hour drive to Hattiesburg. The moment they arrived, Kingston dashed towards her, his excitement clear.
“We’ve never seen Benji run like that,” Rachal joked in an interview.
The reunion was filled with emotion, especially for Debbie, who reflected on the bittersweet moment given that Kingston also belonged to her late husband.
“This was our dog,” she said. “He’s probably the one who made this happen.”
The fraternity brothers were proud to have contributed to the reunion, and Debbie commended them as “great, great people” for bringing Kingston back.
“I’m so happy to have the baby back,” she remarked.
In the meantime, it turns out that Yorkies have some resilience. Kingston had spent years navigating challenges like storms and traffic on the Gulf Coast.
A few days after returning home, Kingston surprised everyone again by slipping away briefly at the park, but a local reporter helped recover him quickly.
“Thank you so much, Brendan Brown, for your help!” Debbie chuckled, grateful that this incident didn’t take five years to resolve.
Debbie Lafleur was not available for further comment.
