It's the best thing in the world when you come home, open the door, and are welcomed by a 4-legged furry pet who's over the moon to see you. Dogs, cats, and other pets can make a bad day good and a good day better. But what happens when your pet hasn't seen you in weeks, months, or years?
Even if you claim to have a heart of stone, these dogs reuniting with their owners will make you bawl your eyes out. Some of these pooches were lost, stolen, or separated from their owners overseas. Watch each of these emotional reunions and go to the next page to see the little pup that got rescued from the rubble of a tornado!
1. Man Reunites With His Stolen Dog 2 Years Later
Jose and Chaos share a special bond because without his dog, Jose doesn't know how he would've survived the divorce from his wife and losing his house. While taking care of some things, Jose let a friend take care of his dog, but Chaos was never returned.
Two years later, animal services found a dog and identified him through his microchip. They called Jose and called him in to the shelter.
"I couldn't get to the shelter fast enough," said Jose. "I couldn't wait for it to open so I could see Chaos! I left at 8 am today and had an hour and a half drive, so I was very anxious!"
Here's what happened when he got there...
2. Long-Lost Pup Goes Berserk With Joy
True love never dies, and this dog clearly missed his owner after not seeing him for 3 years. The first thing this pup notices is the familiar sound of his owner's whistle. Next, he spots a man carrying a bag over his shoulder. Dog and man stare at each other for a few seconds, and the excited dog bounds towards his long-lost owner. He's so happy to see his owner again, that he disturbs bystanders with loud whiny barks. We don't blame him one bit!
3. Missing Dog Realizes His Owner Has Come to Take Him Home
Gunnar was the beloved family pet until he disappeared one day and his owners thought they'd never see him again. In the meantime, Animal Care & Control in Pittsburgh were trying to track down an elusive pup. After finally bringing him to the shelter, they discovered who he was and who he belonged to. Gunnar had been found after over a year of separation from his family!
Here's his first meeting with them:
4. Grown-Up Pup Reunites With His Owner After 8 Years
It's fair to say that once your dog is gone for 8 years, he's probably not coming back. Joshua Edwards lost his Rottweiler as a puppy mysteriously one day when Duke disappeared from his backyard. A full 8 years later, Duke was identified through his microchip and Joshua was called in to confirm ownership. What happens next will melt your heart.
5. Dora Snuggles Up to Her Long-Lost Owner
Owners, beware! Loud noises can spook a dog very easily. When Dora heard the 4th of July fireworks, she jumped the fence and ran away. Seven months later, a stray dog was picked up by Collin County Animal Services in Texas and the owner was notified. When he came to get her, Dora walked straight towards him and lovingly cuddled up to his chest. You will cry, I promise.
6. Dog Rescued After Japan Tsunami Finds Her Owner
After the devastating tsunami in Japan in 2011, many pets were left without homes. This video shows the unbelievable journey of one dog from the wreckage 3 weeks after the deadly earthquake and tsunami took place. After being cared for by emergency workers, this little survivor was finally reunited with its owner.
7. Soldier from Afghanistan is Greeted by His Golden Retriever
If parting is such sweet sorrow, reunion is the sweetest of all. Gracie the Golden Retriever had to say goodbye to her owner when he was deployed to Afghanistan, but when he came back in September 2005, she went crazy with joy.
Watch the video to see Gracie peeking out the door, realizing her chum has returned, and bounding towards him to get cuddles and kisses. She's a ball of energy!
8. A 6-Month Absence Only Made this Reunion Sweeter
Have you ever gone on vacation for a few weeks and come back to a very excited puppy? Well, this guy was gone for 6 months. When he got in the door, his dog heard the sound of his keys and rushed to say hi. She almost tackles him as she jumps up and excitedly hugs and kisses him. So cute!
9. Dog Emerges from Rubble After Tornado on Live TV to Reunite with Owner
In 2013, Moore tornado touched down in Oklahoma City and flattened a bunch of homes. A news crew interviewed an elderly woman on live CBS TV who explains how she was sitting with her dog when her house started to come apart. She lost sight of her dog, and when she called to him "he didn't come." She said he must be in the rubble somewhere, and you can tell by her tone of voice that she knows he must be dead.
Then the unthinkable happens...
10. Soldier Welcomed Home by Thunderpaws
After spending 9 months away for a military engagement, Emmitt Thunderpaws is overjoyed to see his owner again. He ran around the house and begged to be let out, where his owner was waiting to greet him. While most dogs bark and howl while greeting their owners, Emmitt is silent and jumps up to put his paws on the soldier's shoulders. This is saying a lot, because the huge pupper is trained NOT to do this.