Sheriff extradites dog five years after losing him

February 23, 5:59 AMAtlanta Dogs ExaminerSandy Weaver Carman

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Ace - William White photo (Opelika/Auburn News)

Chalk one up for technology - a south-Georgia dog that ended up a hundred miles from home was reunited with his owner five years after going missing.

Randy Dely is the Webster County sheriff, and he lives in Americus, GA. His Labrador, Ace, went missing in 2004. After an extensive search, Sheriff Dely thought he'd never see his dog again.

That was until his phone rang earlier this month. The call was from a vet clinic in Auburn, Alabama, where Ace had ended up. He wandered up to the home of Michelle Golden, who works at Auburn University's School of Veterinary Medicine. Because Ace didn't have a collar on, she had him scanned for a microchip. Bingo - he had one!

From there it was just a matter of tracking the owner information from the chip number, and Sheriff Dely and Ace were reunited. How he crossed a state line and managed to remain on the run for five years is unknown. The vet who scanned him said Ace was in good shape and appeared to have been well-cared-for.

This story has a happy ending, but sadly, many lost pet stories don't. Most lost pets end up at shelters, where if they're lucky, they're either reclaimed by their owners or are adopted by a loving family. Many, however, are euthanized when they've been at the shelter too long.

If you have a pet that's not microchipped, please let Ace's story be your impetus to pick up the phone, call your vet and get your pet chipped. Then, register the chip so that if your pet ever gets loose, he's not anonymous. It's the least we can do to keep our furry friends safe.

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