Missing Dog Named Opie Found More Than 2,000 Miles Away Thanks to His Microchip
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/dog-opie-owner-map-bieber-to-itasca-100325-6e2f7a599f6f487c9a3fa5cd46887d34.jpg)
NEED TO KNOW
- California resident Ciara Babcock has been reunited with her missing dog, Opie, after he was found states away in Illinois
- “[Microchips] make reunions like this possible, no matter how far our four-legged friends may travel,” DuPage County Animal Services said in a post about reuniting the dog with his owner
- The dog somehow traveled from Bieber, Calif., to Itasca, Ill., where local police took the stray to the animal control service
A “devastated” dog mommy, whose pooch named Opie went missing months ago during a storm, has been reunited with her pet.
On Oct. 1, DuPage County Animal Services (DCAS) in Illinois revealed on Facebook that the Itasca Police Department brought them a stray dog, whose microchip traced the corgi-shepherd back more than 2,000 miles away.
“To everyone’s surprise, it traced back to California,” the animal control service wrote. “One phone call later, and the very next day (plus a flight), Opie was back where he belonged — home with his owner.”
Google Maps
Ciara Babcock, the owner who lives in Bieber, Calif., had previously posted on Facebook three months earlier on July 1 that Opie went missing.
“$500.00 Reward! Hi All, my dog, Opie, disappeared during the storm July 1st around the Punkin Center area. Can you please let me know if you happen to see him? Thank you,” Babcock pleaded at the time.
The DCAS emphasized the importance that Opie’s microchip played.
“Since he was microchipped, [Babcock] never gave up on the chance of getting that call,” the animal control service explained.
DuPage County Animal Services/Facebook
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“We’ll never know exactly how Opie made his way nearly across the country, but we do know this: microchips work,” they continued.
The DCAS concluded, “[Microchips] make reunions like this possible, no matter how far our four-legged friends may travel.”
Credit to Nypost AND Peoples
