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The Arango family remember the day clearly. It was almost 7 years ago. Lola, their furry, four-legged family member escaped the backyard through a hole she’d dug under the fence. She was only a tiny puppy.
For months, the family searched for their beloved Boston Terrier. They called shelters and veterinarians, put up posters, and searched tirelessly. But their little Lola never turned up.
The Arango’s could only hope that somewhere, someone was caring for their girl with the love she deserved.
“Imagine you lose a member of the family,” she explained to CBS News. “I searched as much as I could. Life does go on.”
And life did go on, without Lola. That is, until an animal advocate, completely unknown to the Arango’s, and unaware of the search for Lola, answered a Craigslist ad nearly seven years after the little dog went missing.
On Sunday, Linda Gall noticed a dog being given away for free on Craigslist. The ad stated that they could no longer care for the dog they’d loved for the past seven years. Knowing the dangers to dogs given away for free, Gall picked up the dog.
Gall’s first stop was the veterinarian where the dog was scanned for a microchip.
Gall immediately called Julie Arango, who’s contact information was still linked to that microchip, and still current after so many years. Arango didn’t quite believe what she was being told.
“She was adamant,” Arango said. “She goes, ‘No. You’re Julie. And you had a Boston Terrier and her name was Lola.’ I was like, ‘That was so many years…’ She goes, ‘I have your dog.’ I go, ‘No.’ I had goose bumps all over.”
Julie’s daughter, Celina, was only 12 when Lola disappeared. Now 19, she’s thrilled that Lola seems to remember her.
“I’m definitely gonna be spending every day with that puppy,” Celina said. “Taking her out. Making up for lost days. I’m so happy that it feels like she remembers me.”
Thankfully, the Arango’s had Lola microchipped as a puppy, and continued to keep her microchip registration up-to-date over the years. Julie said she always had a feeling that someone would find Lola, have her scanned, and get her back home. They never expected it would take 7 years.
Microchipping is the absolute best way to ensure a lost pet is returned. But, just microchipping your pet isn’t always enough. The chip needs to be registered, the contact information kept current.
And, when a lost or stray dog is found, always have the animal scanned. Any veterinarian, shelter, or animal control office will gladly scan a dog, free of charge, in hopes of locating an owner.
