A Nebraska family has been reunited with their dog, Chong, five years after he disappeared from their Lincoln home. Chong was found more than 600 miles away, behind a truck stop in Indiana.
Inmaculada Jackman, Chong's owner, said she never lost hope of finding her pet after he escaped in 2021. She and her family continued to search the area where he was last seen.
"I still looked for him," Jackman told local station WKRC. "We still went to our old neighborhood and drove around and looked to see if we could see anyone walking him or if he was running around somewhere."
Five years later, a friend alerted Jackman to a social media post about a dog found at the Hendricks County Animal Shelter in Indiana. Upon contacting the shelter, Jackman learned that Chong had been microchipped during his absence.
Shelter staff informed Jackman that they had contacted the individual who had Chong microchipped and were awaiting a response. They expressed hope that this person would not claim the dog, allowing Chong to be reunited with his original family.
After the designated three-day period passed without contact from the microchip recipient, Jackman was able to reclaim Chong. The dog has since been reunited with his family, including a new canine sibling, Che Che, whom the family adopted after Chong went missing.
Footage from the shelter captured Chong's initial confusion upon seeing Jackman after five years, followed by joyful barking and cuddling. Jackman shared the reunion as a message of hope for others who have lost pets.
"Never lose hope," Jackman said. "It’s been five years and we found him."