A pet owner is overjoyed after being reunited with her chihuahua Tommy three years after he went missing.
Tommy the chihuahua has been missing ever since he escaped from the home of his loving owner Charlie Horn in Heath Road, Hayes End three long years ago.
He was found on November 16 wandering around in Harrow and was picked up by a dog warden who checked him for a microchip.
Unable to get hold of Ms Horn, the dog warden instead spoke to her father, Graham, who said he was “absolutely astonished” to be told that Tommy had been found.
The rescued pooch and his relieved owner have now been reunited and Tommy is getting to know the other dogs Ms Horn has taken under her wing since his dissapearance.
She said: "Tommy was three when he disappeared. We’d been on holiday and a family member was house-sitting to care for the dogs. Somehow, on the last night of our holiday, he escaped. We spent days searching for him and contacting vets and local rescue centres but without success. It was devastating.”
The events manager said she felt extremely glad she had had Tommy micro-chipped.
“To find out, out of the blue, three years later, that he’d been found was amazing,” she said. “He’s obviously been well looked after because he’s put on weight - a bit too much actually - but now it’s as if he’s never been away and he’s really enjoying playing with our other dogs. Thank goodness we had him micro-chipped - we’re so glad to have him home.”
Goddard Veterinary Group vet Hazel Lee checked the lucky pup over on his return home at the vets in Uxbridge Road, Hayes End.
She wants to encourage other pet owners to follow Ms Horn’s lead and get their pets micro-chipped.
“We’re so glad Tommy is safely home but, unfortunately, there are many similar stories with no happy ending - animals that just disappear or are brought into us as strays but are not chipped so we have no way of identifying their owner,” she said.
“Getting your pet chipped is the best way to protect them. It’s a simple and inexpensive procedure and really does increase the likelihood that, should your pet disappear in whatever circumstances, you may be reunited or at least find out what happened to them.”
See this week's Animal Column for details on how you can get your pets microchipped.
