Tammy Crews’ dog went missing two and a half years ago from her home in Bowling Green, Kentucky, but Crews never gave up hope of finding her.
Her hopes were realized last week when she got a call from an animal shelter in California saying her dog, a Maltese named Trixie, had been found.
Trixie, now about 13 years old, had a microchip that could be used to trace her back to her owner if anyone brought her to a vet or animal shelter, according to the Bowling Green Daily News.
Little Trixie had been found wandering in a Wal-Mart parking lock in Turlock, California, more than 2,200 miles from Bowling Green. Malnourished and with matted hair, she was taken to Turlock Animal Services.
Using the microchip, employee Glena Jackson was able to contact Crews’ vet. Jackson later drove more than two hours to Sacramento to put Trixie on a plane bound for Nashville, where the Crews family picked her up Saturday night.
After Trixie slipped through her doggie door in January 2015 and disappeared, Crews posted flyers offering a reward and knocked on neighbors’ neighbors. She thinks a group of workers nearby that day may have stolen Trixie, a friendly dog who might have run up to greet them.
Trixie is now back at home with Crews, her husband, Thad, their son and their other pets. The couple has two other college-age children soon to return from studying overseas.
Crews told the Daily News that as an animal lover, she loves watching videos of dogs being reunited with their owners after military service or other long absences.
“I can’t believe that this is our story,” she said.
The Turlock Police Department in California issued a news release heralding the reunion.
“As most pet owners know, animals become a part of our family,” said Mayor Gary Soiseth in the news release. “I’m glad our dedicated animal service officers were able to make this reunion possible by going the extra mile, even driving Trixie to the airport this Saturday. While Kentucky is home, Trixie will always be welcomed back to Turlock and I will be naming Trixie as the first ‘Pet of the Year’ award recipient at the June 13 City Council meeting.”
