After nearly three years of wondering where he was, a missing San Diego, California, Maltipoo named Colby is finally back with his family who never gave up on him.
The reunion was made possible by a microchip — and by the family keeping that lost pet record active long after hope might have faded.
Here’s what to know
On Sept. 8, Colby was spotted at Jewish Family Service’s Safe Sleeping location in the H Barracks area off Kincaid Road near Harbor Drive, west of San Diego International Airport. He had been missing from his City Heights home for nearly three years, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The San Diego Humane Society later brought Colby into its care after he was reportedly left at the site.
A scan of Colby’s microchip led Humane Society staff to his family, and owner Cindy, whose last name was not provided, got the call at 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 8, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
San Diego Humane Society spokesperson Nina Thompson said Cindy was so emotional that she woke her children to tell them Colby was coming home, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
When he was found, Colby had fleas, matted fur, and a possible skin infection, but the humane society said he was otherwise all right.
In a video posted by the rescue group, Cindy described the weight of the long separation. “We missed him so much. Every day we’d think about him,” she said.
More background
After Colby vanished, the family notified the microchip company that he was missing and spent years waiting for the call that finally arrived.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Colby turned up at a safe parking site where people experiencing homelessness can sleep overnight in their vehicles. The San Diego Humane Society then took him in and scanned the chip that led back to his family.
A microchip is not a GPS tracker, but it can provide a crucial link if a shelter or rescue organization finds an animal and checks for identifying information.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Colby’s family did not get another dog during the years he was gone, making the reunion especially emotional.
According to the humane society, the family saw him again on Sept. 9 and was expected to take him home on Sept. 10 after he was neutered.
What can be done?
Colby’s heartwarming reunion with his family shows the importance of having pets microchipped and keeping the registration information tied to that chip up to date.
A chip only helps if the phone number, address, and owner details are current in the database.
Owners should file a missing pet report with a local shelter as soon as an animal disappears. Even if a pet is gone for a long time, a report can help responders match that animal to an owner when it is eventually found.
Shelters and rescue groups also play a major role by scanning every stray or abandoned animal they take in and by providing immediate medical care.
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, a medical team prepared Colby to go home with grooming, a bath, vaccines, and a wellness check.
Thompson said, “This reunion serves as a vital reminder for all pet parents across our community: microchips work, but keeping contact details current and filing a missing pet report with your local shelter are just as essential. Even years after a pet goes missing, a registered chip and an active report can lead to miracles.”
Where can I learn more?
Colby’s return is one of many heartwarming stories like it. Here are other tales about furry friends returned to their owners.
• In Cleveland, firefighters freed a dog from a drain, and the owner learned she wasn’t stolen.
• After July Fourth, San Diego shelters saw 127 lost pets, and reclaim fees were waived.
• In South Africa, carers spotted old scars and realized Terry had survived 6 years alone.
• In Cincinnati, a pit bull mix beat the shelter deadline when the owner recognized him online.
• In California, an AI photo match brought a dog named Sweetie home from 33 miles away.
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