Family Devastated After Dog Goes Missing, 11 Years Later Animal Control Calls

More than a decade ago, a puppy named Snuggles was separated from his family.

But in a story that seems almost miraculous, they are back together again.

Melanie Epperson and her grandson were looking after Snuggles when they were moving into a new home 11 years ago, according to a March 22 report from WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York.

Snuggles suddenly ran off, and they were unable to find him.

“I was worried, especially in the winter because he doesn’t like the cold,” Epperson said.

The family gave up hope of finding Snuggles.

But Epperson’s daughter, Chantel Stroud, received an unexpected phone call 11 years later.

Snuggles was brought in to the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter, which contacted the family after scanning the dog’s microchip.

The shelter called Stroud because that was the emergency contact for her mother, who had previously changed her phone number.

“When I got that call, at first, I thought my daughter was joking,” Epperson said of Stroud telling her about the unexpected find.

“I thought she was playing around.”

Stroud also said that “I thought it was a prank at first.”

“When they asked if I knew Snuggles I said, ‘Yeah, that was a long time ago.’ They then asked if I knew Melanie and I said, ‘That’s my mom,’” Stroud said.

Unsurprisingly, Epperson is very excited.

“I just never thought I would ever see him again,” she said.

“I Googled it, and he can live up to 18 years old. So, I have another 4 to 5 good years to snuggle Snuggles.”

The website for the Friends of the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter said that the entity “is a municipal agency under the City of Buffalo Public Works Department.”

The agency “provides the community with many services,” like caring for “injured, abused, lost, and abandoned animals such as dogs and cats by giving them food, care, shelter, and comfort.”

Gina Lottuch, the chief communications officer for the SPCA Serving Erie County, said that stories like that of Snuggles and his family are not common, but also not impossible.

“There are people who find pets and make honest attempts to find their owners,” Lottuch said.

“For some reason, they’re not always able to connect them, but they keep the pet safe and sound for years.”

Lottuch recommended that pet owners ensure “all of the information with the chip company is updated with current phone numbers and addresses.”

“If the chip can be read, the pet can be reunited with its owner,” she said. “It’s always best to pair a microchip with a traditional collar.”

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