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BUFFALO, New York (WKBW) -- It's the kind of story that will give you hope. Melanie Epperson had been missing her puppy, Snuggles, for 11 years.
She said her grandson was looking after him while she was moving into a new home. In the chaos of the move, Snuggles ran off and just like that, he was gone.
"I was worried, especially in the winter because he doesn't like the cold," Epperson said.
As time passed, Epperson gave up on ever seeing Snuggles again. Little did she know, more than a decade later, that her daughter would be calling her with news that didn't seem possible.
"When I got that call, at first, I thought my daughter was joking," Eppers said. "I thought she was playing around."
The call came from the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter, where Snuggles had been brought in. Thanks to a microchip, the shelter was able to track down Epperson's contact information. However, because she had changed her phone number, the shelter reached out to her emergency contact, her daughter, Chantel Stroud.
"I thought it was a prank at first," Stroud said. "When they asked if I knew Snuggles I said, 'Yeah, that was a long time ago.' They then asked if I knew Melanie and I said, 'That's my mom.'"
Gina Lottuch, Chief Communications Officer for the SPCA Serving Erie County, said that while reunions like this are rare, they do happen.
"There are people who find pets and make honest attempts to find their owners," Lottuch said. "For some reason, they're not always able to connect them, but they keep the pet safe and sound for years."
Lottuch also emphasized the importance of keeping contact information up to date for pets with microchips.
"Make sure all of the information with the chip company is updated with current phone numbers and addresses. If the chip can be read, the pet can be reunited with its owner," she said. "It's always best to pair a microchip with a traditional collar."
After 11 years, Snuggles and his mom finally have their happily ever after.
"I just never thought I would ever see him again," Epperson said. "I Googled it, and he can live up to 18 years old. So, I have another 4 to 5 good years to snuggle Snuggles."
