Dog in Tampa reunited with CA owner by microchip

TAMPA (FOX 13) - The Humane Society of Tampa Bay (HSTB) was happy to wrap up Chip Your Pet Month with a special reunion Saturday, spanning the continent. There were plenty of tears and belly rubs as HSTB staff said goodbye to a very special Pomeranian named Tessie.

Eleven years ago, Lauren Johnson was a seventh-grader and living in California when she saved up enough money to adopt Tessie. But after more than a decade of caring for Tessie, Johnson went off to college and was forced to leave her beloved pet with a trusted friend. A year later, Johnson's friend moved to Florida and Tassie became separated from her new family. Johnson was surprised to get a call informing her that Tessie was found wandering alone on a Tampa highway and taken to Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center (HCPRC). 

Johnson tried to contact the family she left Tessie with but they never answered or returned her calls. It was thanks to a microchip scan Tessie was able to be reunited with her original owner and then Johnson began the process of getting Tessie back. She contacted an animal welfare group in California to ask for assistance in getting her long lost Tessie back.  Thanks to the SPCA and the determination of shelter workers, Tessie and Johnson were able to reunite and head back to California together.