When he arrived at Saint Louis County Pet Adoption Center in the town of Olivette, Missouri, Chase was barely recognisable. His coat was matted, his claws far too long, and his overall condition suggested he'd been wandering for quite some time.
An animal control officer had managed to recover him safe and sound after a concerned passer-by reported him. The dog, weakened but unharmed, now had a chance to receive the care he finally deserved.
Emergency care and first glimmer of hope
A volunteer quickly took charge of him: bath, grooming, trimming of his damaged coat. Chase gradually regained a dignified appearance, but his future remained uncertain. Like many shelter dogs in the United States, he risked never finding a family again.
That's when a discovery changed everything: Chase had a microchip. This tiny capsule, implanted under the skin, revealed that he already had an owner... who had lost him long ago.
Missing for months
In fact, Chase had disappeared on 21st March. That day, his owner, Kimwanna, had let him out in her garden. But when she returned a few minutes later, the dog was gone. Security camera footage later showed that a woman had taken him.
Despite her searches, Kimwanna had eventually lost hope. About to move to Chicago, she'd had to resign herself to the idea of never seeing her companion again.
Reunion made possible thanks to the microchip
Chase's condition, covered in mats and fleas, suggested he'd been wandering alone for much of the time. Without his microchip, he would probably never have found his owner, especially not hundreds of miles away from her.
"If he hadn't been microchipped, he would probably have ended up staying at the shelter, with no chance of finding Kimwanna," explained a centre official.
Today, Chase has finally been able to return home and reunite with his loving family. His story serves as a reminder of how microchipping remains the most reliable way to reunite a lost pet with their owner.
