Back in April of 2021, Sean Nehring, a Kansas resident, was en route from Utah to Kansas when his two-year-old dog, Tucker, bolted from the car.
But thanks to Tucker’s microchip, he has been found and reunited with his family after months of searching!
Once again, microchips save the day and prove their importance. This story serves as a reminder for all dog parents to make sure their pets are microchipped and that those chips stay updated.
The Nehring Family Was Devastated To Lose Their Pup
Mike Nehring, Sean’s dad, tells KSN that he never much considered himself “a pet lover or a dog lover.” But he was “devastated” when Tucker disappeared.
“You don’t realize it until they’re missing,” he says.
Tucker had become an integrated part of Nehring’s family life, particularly for his son, Sean, who decided to take the dog with him for his move to Kansas.
“Our bond is just something I’ve never had with any of my previous pets. He’s sweet,” says Sean. Something about Tucker being the “runt of the litter” spoke to him.
When Tucker bolted, Sean spent hours looking for him.
“The entire day, we were just looking for him, and I basically lost my voice screaming his name and trying to find him,” Sean explained.
Unfortunately, he had no luck.
But Tucker Did Have A Microchip
(Stock Picture Credit: skynesher/Getty Images)Months later, Lifeline Animal Placement and Protection, a Kansas rescue, brought in a few strays. According to one of their Facebook posts, they’d been trying to lure in a group of dogs for three weeks with cheeseburgers and treats.
Finally, one night, they were able to bring the pups in, and one of them was Tucker! From his microchip, they were able to find out that he was registered to Mike Nehring all the way out in Utah.
“This is one of the good things we can do in rescue,” the Facebook post reads.
Lifeline called Nehring to give him the good news.
“I broke down. I started bawling,” says Nehring. “Pure happiness is what went through my head then that he was found and that he was actually taken care of.”
Reunited With Sean After 8 Months
Mike then called his son, Sean, and passed the good news along. Since Sean now lives in Kansas, he was able to quickly get to Tucker.
At first, Tucker was a bit shy, but a few sniffs of Sean, and he knew exactly who he was. He jumped on his boy, happy to see him.
“I couldn’t believe it. I was in tears,” Sean says. “Even though eight months had passed, he was able to still recognize me, and that that made me really happy.”
Both Sean and Mike are thankful that Tucker was chipped, as this is the only reason they were able to be reunited. Lifeline Animal Placement would like to remind us all that if you take in a stray dog, check the chip. A heartbroken family might be waiting in the wings.
And if your dog isn’t already microchipped, talk to your vet about having the procedure. It’s simple and painless, and it could end up being the reason your dog returns to you if they ever get lost. DogTime has a full guide to microchips for dogs here!
Do you think Tucker’s story shows how important it is to get your dog chipped? Has your dog ever been returned to you because of their microchip? Let us know in the comments below.
