Missing dog reunited with elated NC owner — 200 miles from home. ‘An escape artist’
A dog went missing a year ago — then had an emotional reunion with his owner in North Carolina.
Video captured Mochi wagging his tail as his owner finally embraced him again. The moment of joy came after the two spent several months — and 200 miles — apart, according to Guilford County Animal Services.
Mochi, a hound mix, was living in Wilmington when he disappeared about a year ago. Pet owner Emerald Tinae described her dog as an “escape artist” and thought someone might have taken him, WGHP reported on March 3.
“He’ll open doors, windows,” Tinae told WGHP. “He’ll get out. When he wants out, he’ll get out.”
Little did she know, he had been living across the state in Greensboro.
Kendelle Federico, foster coordinator for Guilford County Animal Services, said Mochi was believed to be a stray when he first came to the shelter in November. A family initially took him in, but he was later returned after he didn’t get along with cats after the adoption.
For the next two months, the hound graced the shelter with his “vocal” presence and was often motivated by treats, Federico told McClatchy News in a phone interview.
The shelter had been searching for a new home for the dog when it shared a photo of him on Facebook in February. It turns out, Tinae’s daughter who lives in New York stumbled upon another post and started setting the March 3 reunion in motion.
Federico, who started working at the shelter a year ago, said it’s the first time she remembers a situation like this one.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had a reclaim — an owner come back and find their dog — this far out that’s been missing for so long,” Federico said. “It was honestly somewhat of a miracle for it all to happen the way that it did.”
Officials said the dog — who the shelter was calling Richie — had a microchip but the owner’s information wasn’t up to date. Guilford County has urged people to get their pets microchipped and to update contact information linked to them in case the animals get lost.
A Facebook user believed to be Tinae didn’t immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment on March 4.
This story was originally published March 4, 2022 at 12:33 PM with the headline "Missing dog reunited with elated NC owner — 200 miles from home. ‘An escape artist’."
