An “escape artist” dog who disappeared from its California home in 2021 was miraculously found tied to a fence at a shelter more than 2,000 miles away — just in time for a “Christmas miracle” as its confounded owners try to piece together their pup’s years-long journey.
Patricia Orozco’s wirehaired Dachshund mix named Choco vanished from her Sacramento home in 2021. Since then, she and her husband welcomed two children, but Orozco told The Washington Post that she still talked about Choco all the time.
“When you have a pet disappear, everything races through your mind.…Is he alive? Is he okay? Is he being treated well?” she told the outlet.
Then, in early December, Orozco received a text from a microchip company claiming Choco had been found in a town called Lincoln. She first assumed that the pup was in Lincoln, Calif., just 30 miles north of Sacramento.
In the five years he was missing, Choco, somehow trekked all the way to Lincoln, Michigan — 2,300 miles away from Orozco’s home.
Choco was found tied to a fence outside the Lincoln Park Animal Shelter, according to the nonprofit group Helping Paws and Claws. Orozco scrambled to arrange for Choco’s safe return, but wasn’t sure how she would juggle their reunion with caring for her children, including a 4-month-old.
Cindy Walden, a former animal control officer and board member of Helping Paws and Claws, stepped in to help. She asked for donations to cover Choco’s airfare online and was quickly aided by charitable strangers, including Penny Scott, a local animal rescue volunteer who offered to help ensure Choco’s safe transfer by making the journey herself, the outlet reported.
Another community member covered the airfare with their stockpiled airline miles. Scott was able to spend some quality time with Choco after the pair missed their connecting flight back to California.
“This dog was amazing; never whimpered, never growled at anybody. I walked him through the airport on a leash the whole time,” Scott told the outlet.
Orozco was just glad Choco didn’t run off again during their stint at the airport, as she told the outlet while her pup had always been sweet and calm, he had a penchant for scampering off.
“He was a sneaky door dasher. He was basically like Forrest Gump, but the dog version,” she said.
Orozco said she was beside herself when Choco, now 11, was finally back in her arms as she reflected on her grief and stubborn refusal to consider adopting another dog after losing her mutt.
“This is seriously a Christmas miracle,” she told the outlet.
“He’s still the same, most loving, cuddly, always wants to be on-top-of-you dog,” she added.
Orozco said she’s installed a double gate to make sure Choco never escapes again.
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