Feb. 28, 2015 started just like any other for 11 month only Daisy and her fur siblings and humans.
Daisy, a toy poodle, had joined this family of dog lovers just two years prior as her mom longed for a small dog who could be her constant companion as she traveled about after experiencing just that with a lost chihuahua they found and helped care for and reunite. Robin, Daisy’s mom, was delighted to add Daisy to the family’s mix of dogs of various types and sizes, including a dog KC who was affectionately referred to as “Nugget”.
Nugget was, like the song, “born to run”. Robin had become familiar with KC’s need for adventure and knew that she would always return. And she always did, even in an indirect way that fateful day that Daisy uncharacteristically decided to venture out with big sister Nugget.
KC aka “Nugget” who’s born to run ways encouraged sidekick Daisy on her escapade.
As with many situations when pets go missing, it was a day with of errands and back and forth through the front door. It was about 20 minutes before Robin and her husband realized that Daisy was not around! They surmised that, for whatever reason, Daisy had become daring that day and ventured out with big sister Nugget. And so their walks and rides around the area to look for the two began.
Mysterious Call
About an hour later, Robin received a phone call, but there was a hang up and no message which she viewed as very odd. She called the phone number back, assuming it might be about the dogs, and left a message sharing that if they had called about her missing dogs to please call her back.
In a bit, the caller did return the call, and began to tell a story that seemed a bit suspect, but gave Robin hope, at least about one of the dog … Nugget. The caller said “they” had been running and that they caught up with KC who had contact info via her county tag. Daisy had on her Avid microchip tag, but when Robin point blank asked about Daisy the caller said there was just the one dog, despite repeatedly referring to “them” and “they” in the story.
Desperate to at least get Nugget back home, Robin asked about going by to pick her up soon. But the caller indicated they were not close by any longer and told Robin they could connect the next day. When a time and place were determined for the reunion, the “finder” came walking from around the corner with Nugget, a 35 lb. dog in her arms! The fact that the finder had suggested meeting at a street corner vs. a home seemed suspect, however Robin was desperate to get whichever dog(s) back home safely that she could.
Robin again questioned the finder about Daisy, and the person recounts how they found “them” running across the street – then recanted “them” and just the one.
The search continued to Daisy, with flyers posted, on foot searches, and posting on lost dog pages such as Lost Dogs Arizona by Robin, or by her dedicated work friend Leslie who was committed to assisting in the search.
Over time, Robin resigned herself to having done all that she could to find Daisy, however she remained confident that one day, due to Daisy’s microchip that she had implanted when Daisy was spayed, her little girl would “come home”. Even if Daisy was older and lived out her senior days, Robin just felt in her heart that they would one day be reunited.
While Robin received many tips over the next year or so, and physically checked out the most likely ones, Daisy was not to be found.
Another Call With Amazing News
Over the course of the next year and a half, Robin’s family moved from Arizona to Texas. Co-worker Leslie would tease Robin that she couldn’t move with Daisy still missing in Arizona! But Robin continually kept Daisy’s microchip updated with phone and address info.
Then a few weeks ago, two years after Daisy went missing and just short of Daisy’s third birthday, Robin was on conference call in her home office and missed a call. A short time later, Robin’s husband John, who also works from home, interrupted her to share some startling yet happy news. HE had just received a call that Daisy had been found and was at the Yavapai Humane Society in Prescott, Arizona which was about 2 hours north of where Robin and her family previously lived in Arizona.
Robin and her husband were told that Daisy’s current owner told them they had purchased her from a friend 4 months earlier. They clearly loved and cared for her. She was well groomed, appeared in good health, and they had brought her in to have her spayed.
When the vets prepared to spay her, they realized after shaving her belly that a scar was already there, indicating she was ALREADY spayed! A scan for a microchip followed and “BING”, Robin’s Avid microchip registration popped up. Robin provided the shelter with a police report they had filed when Daisy went missing, which assisted the vet in making the difficult call to inform the new owner that the dog had been reported missing two years earlier! Thankfully, the current owner recognized what Robin had gone through and that Daisy and Robin & family deserved to get their little “girl” back without discussion.
THE REUNION
Robin’s co-worker Leslie, true to her nature to help, was happy to hatch a plan to get Daisy from another facility that she had been transferred to, so that Robin could make the trek from Texas to Arizona a day later.
Leslie’s mom was closer, so she picked up Daisy and then delivered her to Leslie’s house where Robin was updated with pics and reports about how Daisy was doing and of the “dress” and leash Leslie had purchased for her!
Call it kismet, but Robin’s call about Daisy being found occurred on a Thursday. Robin had unrelated to requested that Friday and the next Monday off! Clearly the stars had aligned making it that much easier for Robin to arrange for the drive from Texas to Arizona on Friday with her son and 2 year old granddaughter. They arrived around midnight so they spent the night with her mom, and then on to Leslie’s on Saturday for the reunion.
Robin was THRILLED that Daisy still responds to her original name, and is settling back in with her fur siblings. And, just like old times, Daisy is smitten with son Johnny and licks his face just like old times.
Sadly, one Rottie has passed since Daisy went missing, and another toy poodle Gidget was added to the family. Robin was a bit concerned about how Gidget, her new “baby” and a bit of a “wild child” would respond to Daisy’s reintroduction to the family. It warms her heart that all has gone well.
Daisy on left with new sibling Gidget. Robin plans on letting Daisy’s coat grow out to the previous length she kept it since Daisy became comfortable with brushings early on!
If there’s any silver lining in Daisy’s time away, she came back liking kids more than she did when she left!
While Robin’s intuition that Daisy would one day return home, happily it is at the age of three and not as a senior, giving them MANY happy years ahead together!
Welcome home Daisy!
Looks like rottie Grace, who joined the family since Daisy went missing, may be keeping an eye out on Daisy and Nugget!
Daisy on left now reunited with Nugget.
Remember to microchip, register,
and keep your contact info updated!
Even if your pet has gone missing and it’s been some time,
you might one day get that miracle call!
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