Nearly five years after her rescue dog disappeared, Patricia Orozco (pictured above) thought about her beloved Choco every day. She wondered where he was, how he was doing, and whether he was being loved and cared for. Then, out of the blue, Orozco, who lives in Sacramento, Calif., received a text message from a microchip company. Choco had been found — 2,300 miles away in Lincoln, Mich. The wirehaired Dachshund mix had been found tied to a fence outside Lincoln Park Animal Shelter. Orozco quickly contacted shelter staff and provided photos and identification to confirm she was his owner. At first, she assumed Choco was found in Lincoln, Calif., about 30 miles from Sacramento. It wasn’t until the end of the call that she realized he had somehow ended up clear across the country in Michigan. With two young children, including a 4-month-old, Orozco worried about how she would bring Choco home. She posted on Facebook asking for advice. Cindy Walden, a former animal control officer and board member of Helping Paws and Claws nonprofit in Loomis, Calif., saw the post and reached out to Orozco. Walden checked airfare and found it was quite costly. She put a post on social media, asking for donations. Choco weighs about 15 pounds and would be able to spend the flight in a carrier under someone’s seat. Penny Scott, a volunteer humane dog trapper in Sacramento, saw the post and got in touch with Walden. When Scott discovered that Orozco had two small children, she volunteered to transport the pet. Another community member donated airline miles, covering the full cost of the trip. On Dec. 3, Scott and Choco arrived in Sacramento. Walden picked them up at the airport and drove them to Orozco’s house — the same one Choco used to live in — for the reunion. “As soon as we got out of the car, I set him down and he went right to her; he wanted to go home,” Scott said. “It took a village, but it all just came together,” Walden added, emphasizing the importance of microchipping pets. Choco has slowed down with age, but Orozco said his personality remains unchanged.
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| Nic Thompson, President of Helping Paws and Claws, Cindy Walden, Orozco and Penny Scott. |
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| Orozco and Choco |
