Missing dog from California reunited with family after traveling 2,000 miles

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A woman in California was happily reunited with her dog, who had gone missing and turned up over 2,000 miles away in Illinois.

In July, Ciara Babcock posted on Facebook that her dog, Opie, went missing during a storm near Punkin Center. She offered a $500 reward and spent months searching, but couldn’t find him.

Babcock offered a $500 reward for the return of his dog, Opie, who went missing near Punkin Center during a storm on July 1st. She asked anyone who spots him to get in touch.

On October 1st, DuPage County Animal Services in Itasca, Illinois, received a lost dog – a corgi and shepherd mix – brought in by local police. They were surprised to find out, after scanning his microchip, that he belonged to someone in Bieber, California.

Illinois animal shelter finds Opie 2,000 miles away

Okay, so this is crazy! Back in July, this little dog, Opie, went missing from his home in California and his owner was totally heartbroken. Thankfully, he had a microchip, so she kept hoping he’d be found. Then, just a few months later, the Itasca Police brought a stray into the shelter… and it turned out to be Opie! Can you believe it?

Police in Itasca and our team worked together to track the lost dog, and surprisingly, the trail led all the way to California! A quick phone call and a flight later, Opie was happily reunited with his owner the very next day.

While we may never know the exact route Opie took to travel so far, this story proves that microchips work. They allow lost pets to be reunited with their families, even after long journeys.

Opie’s recent reunion with his family through a microchip isn’t unique. Back in 2017, a dog named Blue was lost during Hurricane Harvey, but was happily reunited with his owners after being scanned eight years later.

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2025-10-06 22:20