Miami, Florida - For more than ten years, a Florida family thought their beloved dog Buttercup was lost forever, but then, the unbelievable happened!

It all began with a routine operation in the south of Miami.

An employee at a local animal shelter discovered an older, weakened dog that could barely move.

The turning point came during a standard microchip scan, and sure enough, the chip was officially registered.

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A few minutes later, it was determined to be Buttercup – a dog who had been mourned by her family for over a decade.

When the shelter contacted the owners, the full extent of the tragedy became clear.

Buttercup and the family's second dog had escaped from their yard over ten years ago.

The other dog was found dead, having been hit by a car. The family was certain that Buttercup had not made it either.

As it turns out, the dog had actually survived!

Nobody knows exactly what Buttercup had experienced over the years. Perhaps she was taken in, perhaps she managed to fend for herself.

The reunion at the animal shelter was an emotional one: tears, hugs, and incredulous smiles. The shelter went on to share the heartwarming story on social media, where it quickly went viral!

According to studies, dogs with microchips are more than twice as likely to find their way back to their owners as their non-chipped counterparts. The difference is even more dramatic for cats.

Buttercup's story is a truly happy ending – made possible by a small piece of technology.