Princess returns: Stolen pomeranian reunites with Arizona family after vanishing during brunch more than 5 years ago
PHOENIX, ARIZONA: An Arizona family received an unexpected surprise on November 7 when they discovered their dog, missing for over five years, was still alive.
Daisy Gonzalez told FOX 10 that her golden pomeranian dog, Princess, was stolen on May 13, 2018, during a Mother's Day brunch in downtown Phoenix. And she had no hope of ever reuniting with her beloved pet.
Half a decade later, Gonzalez received a call from the White Tanks Animal Hospital in Surprise that someone had handed over the missing dog. After scanning the microchip that had Gonzalez's information, the hospital found the four-pound dog's owner.
"I called right back and said, "She's been missing for five-and-a-half years. That's my dog!" she said to FOX 10.
How the dog ended up in the clinic remains a mystery
The clinic has no information on who handed over the nine-year-old Princess to them.
Gonzalez was overjoyed to know her dog was in overall good health. "She was happy, looked good, we checked her teeth, they're bad," she said. "She's missing a lot, so she definitely needs some dental work done."
Gonzalez informed her mother about the good news after the call from the clinic. "I called my mom. She always had hope and knew we'd get her back one day. I lost hope after a few years. I just hoped she was with a great family, but I was very excited we found her. I'm at a loss for words."
"She remembers my parents, my dad always fed her, so she loves my dad, remembers my mom, she definitely remembers. She slept well last night."
(FOX 10 video screenshot)
The family had saved the pomeranian's clothes and custom collar, and finally, she was back with them after five years.
Daisy Gonzalez always hoped Princess would return one day
Gonzales was heartbroken when she lost Princess in 2018. "I was inside with my friend grabbing drinks for everybody and my dad was setting up Jenga, and my mom ran inside saying, 'Daisy do you have Princess?' Then we freaked out from there," she recalled the tragic day.
The family thought that they lost Princess "forever." They searched the town and had missing dog posters, but the dog never returned. "We were out there for hours just looking, and we went back out with a group of people putting up flyers all over the place," Gonzalez told the news outlet.
She still has no idea who stole the dog but knows why. "She's a good-looking dog, she's tiny and everyone wants a small dog," the dog's mother said.
Dr Lindsey O'Connell of White Tanks Animal Hospital said that Princess was identified only because of the microchip, which helped the cute pet reunite with her family.