Man who lost dog five years ago can't believe his eyes after scrolling Instagram
A man was left floored after he scrolled Instagram five years after his pooch went missing, and people can't believe the outcome of this totally heartwarming tale...
Having a pet go missing is every animal lover's worst nightmare. Not knowing where your beloved furry best friend has gone would be seriously distressing, and would lead to sleepless nights and desperately wishing that they would come back where they belong and curl up on your bed once more. This exact situation happened to one man, Edilson, who had searched for his dog and best pal, Abner, ever since the pooch went missing in 2020.
"I spent months looking for him. I even put up posters and spoke to shelters. When I couldn't find him, I gave up on ever getting another dog," he explained to local media in Brazil.
However, five years later, Instagram managed to reunite the pair—but it was by complete chance.
Edilson had no idea that Abner had been living in a shelter after being rescued from the streets.
Because of his mobility and vision problems, the elderly dog had become one of the shelter’s permanent residents.
He was later symbolically adopted by the Invisíveis Não Mais ('Invisible No More') project, becoming its main 'ambassador'.
The project raises awareness for cats and dogs often overlooked for adoption due to age, disabilities, or injuries.
Then, out of the blue, Edilson - from Betim, in Brazil’s Greater Belo Horizonte area - came across photos of Abner on Instagram and recognised him instantly as his best pal.
The pictures had been taken during a group dog walk organised by Invisíveis Não Mais and carried out by volunteer veterinary medicine students.
A project member explained the touching reunion between Edilson and his beloved pooch on Monday (27 Oct).
They said: "Abner came closer, sniffed him, and then melted into hugs and affection. It was a beautiful moment - one we’ll never forget".
Another volunteer added: "Our goal has always been to find homes for the ‘invisible’ ones.
"Today we realised Abner was never invisible - he was just lost. We were the bridge that brought a family back together".
In the UK, dogs and cats must be microchipped, so if your pet is found, they can be scanned, and your details will be available.
You can be fined up to £500 if your dog or cat is not microchipped when they need to be.
All dogs in the UK must be microchipped and registered by the time they’re 8 weeks old. If you live in England, your cat must be microchipped and registered by the time they’re 20 weeks old. This includes cats that usually only stay indoors.
Your pet’s microchip must be fitted by a trained professional. You can ask your vet, local council or local rescue and rehoming centre if they can microchip your dog or cat. They might charge a fee.
Your pet’s microchip contains a number, which will show up whenever your dog or cat is scanned. They will then be registered on one of many databases.
You’re responsible for keeping your pet’s microchip information up to date, for example, if you move house. Contact the database company your dog or cat is registered with to update any of your details.
Ultimately, this can provide hope to pet owners should their animal go missing.