When staff at Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) arrived at work one morning, they discovered two dogs—an English bulldog and a Chihuahua—tied to the shelter’s front gate.
The pair had been left with coats on, sitting quietly on a blanket surrounded by a few toys. Sadly, it wasn’t an uncommon sight.
But when staff scanned the bulldog for a microchip, what they found stunned them.
The dog, whose name they learned was Rome, had two microchips. One led them to his original family in California—who hadn’t seen Rome since he disappeared four years ago.
Back in January 2021, Rome’s family had let their puppy out into their fenced yard during a windy storm. At some point, a gust blew the gate open—and just like that, Rome was gone.
His family searched desperately, posting flyers and knocking on doors, but he had vanished without a trace. As time went on, their hope faded.
Then came the unexpected call from Texas. Rome had been found—over 1,300 miles away.
“We’re a ball of emotions right now,” the family told APA!. “We never thought we’d see him again. To have that void filled after so many years is absolutely incredible.”
They didn’t hesitate. Plans were made, and they hit the road to reunite with their long-lost dog.
Still, they couldn’t help but wonder—would Rome even recognize them? After all, he had been just a puppy when he vanished.
Any doubt disappeared the moment Rome saw his dad.
Tail wagging, he ran up and pressed his body close, soaking up the affection like no time had passed at all.
His mom burst into tears, overcome by how big he’d grown—and how quickly the bond between them came rushing back.
The reunion was full of joy, tears, and disbelief. Rome was finally going home.
His family couldn’t be more grateful to APA! for giving them a second chance with their beloved dog—and they had one message for pet parents everywhere:
“Chip your dogs. You just never know.”
