FORT SMITH, Ark — A furry friend and her owner are back together again three years after they were separated in Fort Smith.
And it's all thanks to Snowy's microchip for making the reunion possible.
It was a happy and unexpected ending for Melissa Harris whose beloved pet went missing three years ago. Snowy, a Husky mix, was found with seven of her puppies after Fort Smith police made an arrest at a home.
The pair were reunited on Wednesday, Aug. 23, after the Fort Smith Animal Haven (FSAH) scanned her for a microchip and found that Snowy belonged to Melissa.
Lois Madden at FSAH recounted the moment she told Melissa the exciting news. "We told her, 'Animal control just brought your dog in, at least her chip is registered in your name. Are you interested in getting her back?' And she paused for a second and was like, 'Yes.' I said, 'Well we have a little surprise for you. She's got seven little puppies with her.'"
Madden said it was easy to assume that Melissa was over the moon to hear about her furry best friend being returned with seven little Snowys in tow. That excitement is what reminds Madden of the importance of microchipping our pets.
"That right there alone gives us hope when these animals are microchipped when they come in here. We think, 'This is somebody's dog, surely they're going to have a microchip.' And then they don't."
As for Melissa and Snowy, they have lots of catching up to do and they will rehome her seven puppies once they're old enough.