It’s always heartbreaking when a pet goes missing, but it’s important to not lose hope. Sometimes pets return to us when we least expect them — in the most unexpected places.

Like one dog who went missing from her home in Florida, only to turn up 2 years later — all the way in Oklahoma!

On September 5, Destiny Druse, from Enid, Oklahoma, found a pit bull wandering around her neighborhood. She and her daughter gave the dog some food and water, and decided to help her find her way home.

Destiny searched the neighborhood and put up posts on social media, but the dog’s owner was nowhere to be found. With no idea about where the dog belonged, she turned to her friend, a dog groomer, who had a microchip scanner.

After scanning the chip, they learned the dog’s name was Andora. “Her ears perked up like she hadn’t heard her name in forever,” Destiny recalled to KFOR.

Unfortunately, the microchip did not list Andora’s owner. But after filing a pet report, she soon received a phone call — all the way from Florida. It was Andora’s owner Brenna Denmark, who revealed that the dog had gone missing 2 years ago!

Destiny wrote that she was “shocked,” and it’s still unknown how Andora made her way all the way from Pensacola, Florida to Enid, Oklahoma — a 900 mile journey. “We could not figure out how their baby made it all the way to OKLAHOMA!” Destiny said.

The distance was a big surprise — and a big hurdle when it came to reuniting Andora with her old family. After trying to work out the logistics, the Denmark family decided to drop everything, rent a car and make the 14-hour drive to get their long-lost pet back.

“They wanted their baby home, that’s all that mattered and I think that’s just amazing,” Destiny told KFOR. “I’ve never seen somebody love their dog so much.”

The family reportedly maxed out their credit cards just to make the trip, and Destiny wrote that she was raising funds to provide gas money. “Our community is truly amazing for helping get this baby home and her owners are the most loving dog owners I’ve ever met! I’m honestly still in disbelief,” she wrote.

Andora finally made it home, and is settling in well, making up for lost time with her old family.

It’s not clear what Andora has been up to these past two years. The family said that they feared their pit bull had been abducted into a dogfighting ring, and were relieved to learn she was alive and well.

They also said that it’s a reminder to get your pets microchipped, which makes reunions like this possible — no matter how many years it has been or how far apart you are.

What a miracle — we’re so glad that Andora is finally home after 2 years! Please share this story! ❤️❤️❤️

Shelter “unbelievably full” after rescuing 34 dogs from hoarding situation, offers free adoptions

A Sacramento shelter is facing a crisis after taking in over 30 dogs rescued from a hoarding situation, and are desperate to find them all homes to save their lives.

According to KCRA, 34 dogs — all Chihuahuas except for 2 huskies — were rescued from a Sacramento property after their owner died.

It’s a heartbreaking situation, and it’s clear these dogs had been kept in a serious hoarding situation. They were soon taken in by the Front Street Animal Shelter in Sacramento.

While the dogs are now in better hands, it has put the shelter in a tough spot, as this huge intake of new dogs has put a strain on the already overcrowding kennels.

“We were already very full before this happened, with multiple dogs housed in most kennels,” said shelter communications manager Ryan Hinderman, per the city’s news website. “The shelter has 99 dog kennels, but after the rescue, had nearly double that number of dogs.”

In response to this overwhelming crisis, the shelter is offering an incentive to encourage people to adopt: they are waiving the adoption fees on certain dogs through September 15. According to their website, the fees have been paid for with donations from the community. All dogs will be fixed, microchipped and vaccinated.

Other adult dogs are available for a reduced adoption fee of $25, while puppies are available for the standard $150. Military vets with a valid ID are also eligible for a waived adoption fee.

Front Street Animal Shelter is open 7 days a week from 12 pm to 5 pm. The site lists many kinds of dogs available for adoption, with different breeds and sizes. “There really is a dog for everyone here,” said Hinderman. “They’re great dogs that just need a second chance.”

We’re glad all of these dogs were rescued after living in a hoarding situation, but it has clearly put a strain on this shelter. We hope people in the area step up to adopt these dogs in need! Please share this story to spread the word!