Imagine the joy of being reunited with a beloved pet after more than two years of separation.
This is the heartwarming story of Rebecca Bien, who found her missing dog, Emmy Lou, with the help of a dedicated Facebook group.
The emotional reunion took place at the Louisville Metro Animal Shelter, Kentucky, and was captured on video.
The footage shows Emmy Lou, a five-year-old Heeler-Collie-cross, recognizing Rebecca and wagging her tail in pure delight.
The video begins with Rebecca, a 27-year-old woman, walking down the shelter’s corridor, guided by a staff member.
Behind the camera, a friend asks, “Hey Rebecca, who are you going to get?”
Rebecca turns her head, smiles, and excitedly replies, “Emmy.”
As they approach the cage, Rebecca extends her hand to let Emmy Lou sniff her.
The dog’s tail starts wagging as she recognizes Rebecca’s scent.
The sight of her long-lost pet sends Rebecca into a flood of tears.
The dog, too, shows her excitement by frantically sniffing around and pushing against the cage door.
The staff member opens the cage, and Emmy Lou is finally free.
The dog jumps up at Rebecca, showering her with affectionate licks.
Overwhelmed with joy, Rebecca asks Emmy, “You want to go home? I love you.”
The video ends with Rebecca affectionately scratching and hugging Emmy Lou, who stands on her hind legs to reciprocate the love.
This heartwarming reunion was a long time coming.
Emmy Lou had been missing since September 2017, when she disappeared during a storm in the Louisville area.
Rebecca, along with her friends and family, had spent days trying to track her down, issuing flyers and posting adverts on Craigslist, but to no avail.
Refusing to give up, Rebecca set up a Facebook page titled ‘Help Find Emmy Lou Harris (The Dog)’.
The page quickly gained traction, amassing around 1,000 members.
The most active members, affectionately known as ‘Emmy’s Angels’, would meet up and search for Emmy across the area, some driving, some walking.
The breakthrough came around Christmas time when one of Emmy’s Angels reported a sighting.
This led to a check of the local animal shelter listings, where Rebecca found a dog matching Emmy Lou’s description.
The long search was finally over.
Rebecca, who now lives in Franklin, Kentucky, hopes her story will inspire others who are missing their pets.
According to Happily, she advises,
“For the finders of lost animals, I urge you strongly to please take the animals to a vet or a shelter to be scanned for a chip. They will also give time for the owners to contact them in search for their baby.”
She also has words of encouragement for those who have lost their pets:
“Be strong – social media is your best friend. Reach out to other animal lovers who will sympathize and actively help you search. And do not be fooled by false ransom notes – people can be cold in the face of sorrow.”
Watch the video below to see their tearjerking reunion for yourself!
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