Nicole Brownell’s dog was stolen in 2010, but a microchip was invaluable in setting up a reunion. Emily Florez reports.
Back in 2010, Nicole Brownell was heartbroken when she discovered her 9-year-old dog, Sadie, had been stolen from her Roscoe Village yard.
Little did she know the two would be reunited two-and-a-half years later thanks to a microchip and a “good Samaritan.”
Brownell got the call Tuesday from Save-A-Pet in Grayslake that her Yorkie had been found.
“I was shaking like a leaf, my heart was pounding, tears were streaming down my face," Brownell said Wednesday. "I immediately called my husband, and he said, ‘no way, no way.’ But I said, ‘microchips don’t lie.’”
According to Brownell and a post on Lost Dogs Illinois' Facebook page, Sadie was found at night near a bank and a busy intersection.
The voicemail informed her the dog wasn't in good condition, though, and described as "skinny with her hair matted." Sadie was taken to Save-A-Pet where she was scanned and identified as Brownell’s missing pup. When the shelter sent pictures of the found dog, Brownell said she “recognized her right away.”
Brownell, who created a Facebook group in hopes of finding her pet, said she received many calls the past few years from people who thought they found Sadie, but none of them were her.
In a "truly miraculous" turn of events, Brownell and her family, who recently moved to Cleveland, will soon be reunited with their once-lost pet. She shares some advice with her fellow dog owners: “If nothing else, this story shows why you should have your dog micro-chipped.”
The dog, who was first reunited with Brownell's sister, had already taken a trip to the groomer as of Wednesday morning and had an appointment with the vet.
"I am on the road right now," Brownell said earlier Wednesday. "I can’t wait to be reunited with a loved one. It is really unbelievable."
