Missing Senior Dog Reunites with Family 'Against All Odds' 5 Years After Disappearance: 'Miracles Really Do Happen'

An aging dog was able to reunite with his family five years after they were parted.

On Monday (January 13), the Animal Services department of Hernando County Sheriff’s Office in Florida took to Facebook to share happy news about a dog named Parker, who had been turned in by a concerned citizen “after being found wandering along a road” the day prior.

Thanks to a twist of fate, officials in the department were able to identify Parker and get in contact with his owners, leading to their reunion.

Keep reading to find out more…

Per the release, Parker, who is now 13, went missing after a gate in his family’s backyard was “unknowingly” left open.

“Curious and gentle by nature, Parker wandered beyond the safety of his yard and never found his way home,” officials explained, adding, “his family searched endlessly.”

Though they held on to hope, “as weeks turned into months, and months into years, the heartbreaking reality set in. They eventually let go of the belief that they would ever see their beloved dog again.”

Authorities noted that “against all odds,” they were able to find each other again.

Parker was actually found in the same neighborhood where he first went missing. What happened over the last five years remains a mystery, though the release noted that he had clearly survived “a long journey.”

That journey came to a close after techs in the office noticed that he was microchipped. The information contained on the chip enabled them to get in touch with Parker’s family within 10 minutes.

“When Parker’s mom answered the phone, she was stunned. She later said she thought there must have been some mistake. After all, Parker had been gone for so long. How could this be real? But when the family arrived at the shelter and saw him, there was no doubt,” they wrote, describing the reunion as one filled with “shock, disbelief and overwhelming joy.”

Although they noted that Parker “moves a little slower and carries the marks of time” after his disappearance, he also gained “the comfort of being back where he belongs.”

“He is finally home, surrounded once again by the family who missed him for so many years,” they wrote, adding, “Sometimes miracles really do happen” and reminding others of the importance of microchipping their pets.