Dog missing for five years reunited with owner in Kansas
By Alan Shope
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MOUND CITY, Kansas (KMBC) — Courtney Short and her dog Lilly, separated for more than five years and 900 miles, were reunited earlier this week.
Courtney, who now lives in Boise, Idaho, said the separation began in August 2021 after a breakup with an ex-boyfriend who took the dog. She never thought she would see Lilly again.
“It’s very, very rare. Courtney was diligent in the several times that she had moved over that five-year period of time and remembering to update with the chip data center,” said Janet Jackson of Dirt Road Rescue.
The rescue determined that Lilly had been found as a stray in the Moab Desert area and later driven to Mound City, Kansas, where she became a stray again. They tested her for a microchip.
“Just on the outside chance that maybe we would get a chip read, and we did,” Jackson said.
After locating Courtney, the small rescue group arranged a reunion in Colorado.
“Had I not kept my information up-to-date, I don’t think that you guys would’ve found me,” Courtney said.
“There were tears all around, and Lilly is just the best dog,” she added.
Courtney emphasized the importance of keeping pet microchip information current, saying, “When you’re moving, updating your pet’s chip is probably the last thing you ever think of doing, but she had great hopes of finding out where Lilly was.”
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