Long-lost dog has touching reunion with its out-of-state family

Austin, Texas - Last year, a neighbor told a family in Austin that their dog Juicee had died. Soon after, the family moved to Miami, and the sad story seemed to have reached its final conclusion. But about a year later, there was a twist that took everyone's breath away!

Dog Juicee (r) completely rocked her owner's world with just one phone call.
Dog Juicee (r) completely rocked her owner's world with just one phone call.  © Collage: Facebook/Screenshot/Austin Animal Center

One of the family members was still in an Austin Facebook group that also posts photos of shelter dogs, and then it happened: Juicee showed up in a series of pictures with numerous other dogs!

“Juicee was in great condition when she was first brought in,” Kelsey Cler, the marketing and communications manager for Austin Animal Center, told The Dodo.

"She was hesitant with strangers and showed some touch sensitivity. Her kennel presence wasn’t great, which contributed to her long stay."

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The canine has been at the shelter since June 2022, and because she was not chipped or wearing an identification tag, she was believed to be a stray.

Facebook video shows touching reunion

Juicee was thankfully reunited with her owners1
Juicee was thankfully reunited with her owners1  © Facebook/Screenshot/Austin Animal Center

As it turned out, this initial assessment was wrong, because Juicee's former family caught wind of her whereabouts online and had hopes of being reunited with their precious pup.

The owners drove a whopping 20 hours in the car to pick up their lost pet. "Juicee was SO HAPPY!" said Cler of the unexpected reunion. "No hesitation or touch sensitivity with her family – she was all over them, and they were all over her."

Still, the family was in disbelief. "They just couldn’t believe it," Cler said. "They really thought she was dead. Lots of tears … They headed straight back to Miami with her."

Fortunately, staff members captured the emotional reunion between Juicee and her human family for all to see!

Cover photo: Collage: Facebook/Screenshot/Austin Animal Center

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