Missing for 2 years, dog is returned to her family in Alabama after being discovered in Oklahoma

After two long years, this wandering beagle is finally back home with her family, all thanks to a rescue group and the power of microchip technology.

Be sure to reach the end of this article to see their joyful reunion!

Two years ago, Brooke Lake experienced one of the worst days of her life when her dog, Lilly, ran away.

“She just caught a scent and she just ran,” she recalled.

At the time, Brooke was a new mother living in Robertsdale, Alabama. She searched everywhere for Lilly and contacted every group that could possibly help locate her.

She called up vet clinics, animal rescues, and shelters, but none of them had any information about the pup.

Unbeknownst to her, the adventurous dog found her way to an Oasis Truck Stop where someone had taken her and brought her home with them to Oklahoma.

Brooke was devastated. She couldn’t believe her best friend was gone, but she remained hopeful, believing they will be reunited someday.

“It’s just so heartbreaking cause I loved her,” she said. “She was my first dog and I kept up with her micro-chipping thinking maybe one day somebody would find her and scan her.”

Lilly had been living for the past two years near Tulsa, Oklahoma. However, her new owners said she kept digging out of their yard. They couldn’t contain her anymore, so they decided to surrender her to Skiatook Paws and Claws Animal Rescue.

Amber Ridenour, who is on the Skiatook Paws and Claws Animal Rescue board, said she happened to walk in just at the same time as Lilly was being surrendered.

Amber scanned her for a microchip and found that she actually had one!

During the surrender process, she learned that her new owners were unfamiliar with microchips, so they never had the dog scanned.

Amber quickly called Brooke to tell her the good news.

“Immediately she is elated with the news and the fact they had pretty much given up and thought she probably wasn’t alive any longer,” she said.

A soccer mom volunteered to drive Lilly home to Foley since she would be going there for a tournament.

The rescue shared the happy news of Lilly’s homecoming on their Facebook page.

“With the help of Skiatook Paws and Claws Animal Rescue and a wonderful volunteer, Lily was reunited with her family in Foley, Alabama yesterday! 2 years, 800 miles, and 13 hours later, LILY IS HOME!” the shelter wrote on March 26.

The rescue hopes that Lilly’s happy ending will inspire more people to have their pets microchipped.

“To be able to shed light on microchips and the importance of them, to be able to be a part of Lilly’s story and getting her home to Brooke and her family, yes this is a highlight of this year I’m certain,” Amber said.

Some pet owners are discouraged from having their animals chipped, thinking it would hurt them.

But the truth is, it won’t hurt any more than a routine vaccination would. In fact, having a microchip implanted doesn’t even require an anesthetic and only takes a few seconds.

As for the cost, the average is around $45. This is a one-time fee and typically includes registration in a pet recovery database.

If you got your pet from a shelter or a breeder, chances are they already have a microchip. To make sure, you may check your adoption paperwork or have your pet scanned for one at a local veterinarian or animal control facility. They will gladly check for free.

Here’s Lilly and Brooke’s happy reunion caught on camera.

Lilly’s story proves that microchipping really saves lives! If you haven’t yet, we encourage you to get your pet microchipped at your nearest veterinarian’s office.

Please share this story with your family and friends.