Missing Dog Reunites With His Family After Two Years Because They Saw Him On The News

"It only took one glance at the picture for Dwight to immediately recognize Payday.”

Rachel

• Published in Animal Stories
• September 10, 2021

I feel like one of the saddest things in the world is seeing missing pet posters around town, or shared on social media. The heartbreak that those families must be feeling is devastating: but the joy they have when they are reunited must be immense.

This is a story about the joy. A small brown dog was handed into the Wisconsin Humane Society and workers didn't think that he would have any trouble finding a new home.

The woman who handed the dog in, said that she had found him as a stray, but the dog had had trouble adjusting to his new home. The poor dog was adorable, but so scared of new people, and thought he would be better suited to a different type of home.

Just look at the little guy!

Unfortunately, despite the fact that he's a feisty animal with a huge personality, there wasn't much interest in the little dog. The shelter decided that a little publicity might help the dog find a family who would love him just as he is.

The dog was featured on FOX6 News Milwaukee’s Adopt-A-Pet segment, and just minutes later, the station received a call.

In a Facebook post, the Wisconsin Humane Society said:

“They told us that one of their viewers, Dwight, called in because he recognized the dog we had featured. He had woken up early last Wednesday to the sounds of FOX6’s morning broadcast, just as our volunteer started describing a little brown dog with the most adorable underbite.”

“Dwight normally turns off his TV every night, but must have left it on by accident — or perhaps thanks to fate. It only took one glance at the picture for Dwight to immediately recognize Payday.”

Watch the touching reunion below.

The dog, Payday, had been a gift for Dwight's then-ten-year old daughter, and had gone missing after getting loose during an evening walk. Dwight's mom, Melissa, rushed over to the shelter to pick up the dog, and as soon as Payday recognized her: his whole personality changed.

Angela Speed, vice president of communications at the Wisconsin Humane Society told The Dodo:

“You could tell he immediately recognized her, and it was such a joyous reunion. It was magical. Most people know animal shelters as places where you adopt animals, but reuniting lost animals with their families is a core part of our work.

Every time we’re able to reunite an animal with their family, it’s a memorable occasion... It was a privilege to witness it.”

Isn't this story the cutest? Have you ever been reunited with a missing pet? Tell us all about in the comments!

Rachel