A lost dog and its owner -- who have been living over 1,000 miles apart -- are reuniting after two years thanks to the animal's microchip.
Animal rescuers received a call Monday about a dog living in an abandoned house on Long Island.
When rescuers arrived at the Medford home, they found the dog, a female, living among urine and feces, apparently abused and mistreated.
The dog was brought to Save-A-Pet animal rescue center and her story was posted on Facebook.
A day later, a woman called and said the dog, named Jessie, was hers and that she had been searching for the pooch for two years.
"I thought all hope was lost to find my Jessie," Lauren Bates, the dog's owner, said.
Bates is now living in Texas, where she moved after her mother suffered a stroke. Before she left for Texas, she says she entrusted Jessie to someone who ended up giving the dog away.
U.S. & World
Guardians of Rescue, the animal rescue organization that initially took Jessie in, used the dog's microchip to identify her as Bates' long lost pup.
"I am so grateful to Guardians of Rescue and Save-A-Pet for the never ending rescue work they do which led to her safe return," Bates said. "We can't wait to get her home to Texas."
Jessie is set to fly from New York to Houston on Tuesday.
Dori Scofield, Guardians of Rescue's vice president, says she hopes the story will get the attention of pet owners.
“Watching a family reunite with their beloved pet is unbelievably rewarding," Scofield said. "Hopefully it encourages others to participate in microchipping their pet."
Both cats and dogs can be microchipped. Implanting the microchips is a painless and quick process, and the devices last a lifetime.
