Dog Missing 13 Months and Feared Dead Has Emotional Reunion with Family

After Peach the dog disappeared, and months passed without a sighting of the pup, her family began to accept that the pet was likely dead. However, 13 months after the pup went missing, the San Francisco-based family received a call from Marin Humane.

On Sept. 10, Marin Humane announced on social media that Peach had not only been found but also reunited with her loving family. According to the animal rescue organization, Peach the Chihuahua had escaped her home in San Francisco and was missing for over a year.

Her owner, Jim Chow, and his family, including his young son, were heartbroken by her disappearance and spent months searching for the dog in their community, posting fliers, checking in with local rescue organizations, and scouring the area. These dedicated efforts turned up nothing, so the family tried to accept that Peach was likely dead and held a memorial service for the adored pet.

Months after saying goodbye to Peach, and 13 months since the dog disappeared, an officer from the San Rafael Police Department (SRPD) spotted a little Chihuahua in distress during an animal abuse investigation, according to the SRPD.

The dog “was removed from the abusive situation and placed in protective custody with Marin Humane,” the agency shared in a Facebook post. At Marin Humane, staffers scanned the little dog from the neglectful situation for a microchip, in hopes of learning more about the canine. The pup did have a microchip, and it revealed that the Chihuahua was actually Peach, the missing pooch.

Marin Humane called the Chow family to confirm the dog’s identity. Her owners were overjoyed to hear that Peach was alive and ready to be reunited, and confirmed to the rescue that the dog had been missing since June 2024.

Shortly after Peach arrived at Marin Humane, the rescue sent up an emotional reunion between her and her loving family. Footage from the heartwarming moment shows Peach eagerly running down a hallway to jump into the open arms of her loved ones. The Chihuahua happily accepts hugs and belly rubs from her owners, while they beam down at her, ecstatic to be reunited again.

According to Marin Humane, Peach was found by someone who decided not to inform local shelters about the dog or get her checked for a microchip.

The SRPD noted that because of the concerning situation Peach was found in before her reunion, the person who was caring for her at the time was “arrested and booked into jail for felony animal abuse.”

“Even though Peach had been missing for more than a year, it only took a few seconds for her to remember her family. SRPD and Marin Humane were proud to partner together to ensure the safety of Peach and get her returned to her rightful family,” the SRPD added.

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Both Marin Humane and SRPD hope Peach’s story inspires pet owners to get their pets microchipped and keep their existing pet microchips up to date with their current contact info, because without a microchip, it is likely Peach would not have found her way back home.

“It serves as a poignant reminder of two important lessons: 1. Make sure your pets are microchipped and their info is up to date, and 2. If you find an animal you believe is lost, please contact your local animal shelter,” Marin Humane concluded their TikTok post about Peach’s reunion.