An English bulldog named Rome vanished from his California backyard in January 2021 when he was a puppy. A shelter announced Thursday that he has been reunited with his family in Austin after four years, thanks to the efforts of Austin Pets Alive! and a crucial microchip.
Rome was discovered tied to the gate of Austin Pets Alive!’s Tarrytown shelter in February, alongside a small Chihuahua, with no identifying information.
The shelter found that Rome was double microchipped, allowing staff to track down his original owners. The family, who had tirelessly searched for Rome by posting flyers, knocking on doors, and filing police reports, was “stunned and overjoyed” to learn their pet was alive and safe in Texas, according to Austin Pets Alive!
The reunion required Rome’s owners to drive more than 1,000 miles from California to Austin to bring him home.
“The reunion was emotional, tearful and full of joy,” the shelter said in a statement, WFAA reported.
The family shared their overwhelming relief: “We are a ball of emotion right now. We are so excited to see him. Words cannot describe the emotion of what we felt when he was gone, so to have that void filled today is absolutely incredible,” WFAA reported.
Austin Pets Alive! emphasized the importance of microchipping pets, noting that Rome’s case highlights how the technology can facilitate reunions even years later.
The shelter urged pet owners to keep their microchip information current to increase the chances of being reunited with lost animals.