When a small tan Chihuahua was spotted wandering the streets of Sumter County, Florida, he didn’t hesitate for a second when a kind stranger walked by.
“He practically dove for this guy, as if saying, ‘Help me! Help me!’” recalled Claudia Labbé, volunteer at YOUR Humane Society SPCA. “He was so happy to see him.”
The Good Samaritan scooped the little dog up and brought him straight to the shelter. Malnourished and covered in fleas, he clearly had been fending for himself — yet his tail never stopped wagging.
Staff scanned him for a microchip, and suddenly, a name appeared: Alex.
So did another surprise — the names and contact information for his owners, who lived more than 225 miles away in Naples. When the shelter reached them, they learned Alex had been missing for six long years.
Alex had joined the family as a tiny 2-month-old puppy, growing up alongside two human brothers and a larger dog named Thunder. But one day, when Thunder went to stay with Grandma for a while, Alex dug a hole under the fence and slipped away — likely searching for his best friend.
His family searched everywhere, hanging on to hope for as long as they could. But months turned into years, and they feared they’d never see him again. Then came the call from YOUR Humane Society SPCA that changed everything.
Late that February evening, the family rushed to the shelter, wondering if Alex would even remember them. The moment he saw them, their worries melted away. His tail whipped back and forth as he leapt into his mom’s arms, smothering her with affection.
“Alex could not contain his sheer joy of seeing them again,” the shelter shared on Facebook. “They all stood, hugging a giddy pup who regained his identity and his long-lost family.”
You can watch their touching reunion here:
Shelter staff and family alike were in tears. “This is what motivates everybody — because pets are family,” Labbé said.
Now back home, Alex has settled right in — and he’s been reunited with Thunder, too. This time, they’ll never be apart again.
If you’d like to help other lost pets like Alex find their way home, you can donate to YOUR Humane Society SPCA.
