After being lost for 10 long years, Shelby the dog was finally reunited with her family in San Antonio, Texas.   

Shelby went missing in 2014 after getting through the gate in her yard. Her distressed family searched for the small dog, but she was nowhere to be found. They reported Shelby as stolen after hearing a stranger might have taken her, according to the City of San Antonio Animal Services (City of SA ACS)

That was ten years ago.

In March 2024, a small dog was seen wandering the city. When the pup was scanned for a microchip, she was revealed to be the missing Shelby. Thanks to her microchip, animal control saw that Shelby had been reported missing a decade ago and they were able to locate her family.

Shelby’s guardians did not expect to see the missing member of their family ever again, according to the City of SA ACS. Photos from the reunion, shared by City of SA ACS, show Shelby’s family overjoyed at seeing their beloved companion animal after all this time. 

“Within hours, they were reunited with their beloved Shelby!” said the City of San Antonio Animal Services in the Facebook post. “We are so happy the C family and Shelby have found each other again, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the power of a microchip.” 

Lady Freethinker encourages everyone to microchip their companion animals. Microchips can help your companion animals find their way home in the case of accidents or if, like Shelby, they ever find themselves unexpectedly lost. 

For another heartwarming story, read about a senior dog with special needs who was adopted after 700 days in a shelter.