“Everyone was very touched — this was a dog that is loved.”
It was clear to the animal control officer that the dirty, matted stray they’d picked up had once been a family pet. Though the brown dog with the powdered sugar face had seemed rowdy and loud on the street, she calmly sat down as soon as the leash slipped on.
At City of San Antonio Animal Care Services, the dog, named Coco, was polite and friendly with everyone she met.
San Antonio Animal Care Services
“An education staffer saw her face on an internal report and thought, ‘That’s a dog that’s missing someone and someone is missing her,’” Lisa Norwood, public relations manager for City of San Antonio Animal Care Services, told The Dodo. “While visiting her in the kennel, Coco sat like a lady, wagging her tail the whole time the team member spoke with her. She told her, ‘Your family is coming. Your family is coming.’”
San Antonio Animal Care Services
The shelter posted a photo of the 10-year-old dog on their website and hoped for the best. Just a few days later, Ms. G was scrolling through the animals who’d recently arrived at the shelter when she landed on Coco’s face.
Instantly, she recognized the pup who’d gone missing seven months earlier, in April. Coco had originally belonged to her brother, and she’d grown up with the dog before taking over her care.
Facebook/City of San Antonio Animal Care Services
“They’re not sure how she got out, but they looked for her throughout their neighborhood for months,” Norwood said. “It turns out she had somehow crossed over a busy highway and made her way to another neighborhood a couple of miles away!”
Coco’s mom was terrified she’d never see her dog again, but she refused to give up hope. As soon as she saw Coco’s sweet face on her computer screen, she rushed to the shelter.
Facebook/City of San Antonio Animal Care Services
That day, the lobby was full of happy tears as staff witnessed a touching reunion.
“That same staffer who visited Coco was in her office near the front lobby when she heard a lady saying, ‘Coco! Coco!’” Norwood said. “[As Coco was being brought up from the kennels] she started jumping and wagging her tail when she saw her mom. After the jumping came the kisses on both sides, and then Ms. G began crying. Everyone was very touched — this was a dog that is loved.”
Facebook/City of San Antonio Animal Care Services
The shelter updated the information on Coco’s microchip, which was still linked to Ms. G’s brother, and the pup wrapped her paws around her mom’s leg, making it clear she was finally home for good.
