A border collie named Rio has been reunited with his owner after a two-week journey of approximately 1,000 miles from his home in Oklahoma to North Carolina. Rio, a 10-year-old collie, was taken in by Guilford County Animal Services in North Carolina as a stray. After scanning him for a microchip, shelter staff discovered his owner, Melissa, resided in Oklahoma.
Melissa traveled to Greensboro, North Carolina, to reunite with Rio, concluding a search that lasted two weeks. The dog is now back home with his family, which includes a nine-month-old canine sister. Shelter staff speculate that Rio may have been found somewhere between the two states and then escaped again before being scanned.
Melissa described Rio as an "elaborate escape artist who tends to bolt when he gets scared," according to a Facebook post from the shelter detailing the reunion. The post has garnered significant attention, with many commenters emphasizing the importance of microchipping pets.
"A collar can come off. A pet can travel much farther than you ever expect. But a microchip gives shelters and animal control a way to connect a lost pet back to their family," the shelter noted in its post. The staff expressed happiness that the story concluded with Rio safely returned to his home.
