Eaton County Animal Control
- A Yorkshire Terrier mix named Sgt. Pepper went missing in 2014 from his home in Florida.
- The Eaton County Animal Control in Michigan located Sgt. Pepper after seven years.
- Sgt. Pepper and his owner reunited for the first time in Michigan.
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A dog that was reported stolen for seven years was just reunited with its owner.
Eaton County Animal Control announced on Facebook that Sgt. Pepper, a Yorkshire Terrier mix, was just six years old when he disappeared from his Florida home in 2014.
The owner later discovered a "found" online post for the small pup on Craigslist, but unfortunately, Sgt. Pepper had "already been claimed by someone who was not his real owner," the department said in a statement.
Although a police report was filed and the microchip company was alerted to Sgt. Pepper's stolen status, the post said the dog was never located.
Seven years passed with little update until last Monday when the Eaton County Animal Control – located more than 1,000 miles away in Charlotte, Michigan – discovered the long-lost dog.
The department said that staffers reached out to the owner, who booked a flight from Florida to Michigan to see Sgt. Pepper again.
"While we don't know every detail of Sgt Pepper's journey, we did discover how he made it to Michigan," the department wrote. "Sgt Pepper had been living with a family for the last 5 years who were unaware of his microchip and stolen status."
The department relied on Sgt. Pepper's microchip contact information that had been updated as recently as February 2020. Due to this, the department was able to contact the owner "within minutes" of having Sgt. Pepper in possession.
"This incredible story is a testament to the value of microchipping your pet and keeping your contact info current," Eaton County Animal Control wrote.
The department emphasized that Sgt. Pepper's story shows "why it is SO IMPORTANT to have all found dogs scanned for a microchip."
"Most vets or animal shelters will do this service for free," the department said. "It is also a great idea to have any new dog you acquire scanned for a microchip just in case, especially if any portion of the pet's history is unknown."