When the Wieferich family’s dog Bambi went missing, they were understandably devastated.

The dog had been with the family since she was just 7-8 months old, but when their other family dog passed away due to cancer, Bambi began escaping from their Lansing, Michigan, home.

They brought a new dog home to help Bambi cope, but it wasn’t enough. Six months later, she ran away and never returned.

The family searched hard for their beloved dog, but after months passed and she didn’t show up, the assumed she’d passed away or been taken by a stranger.

But four years later, a phone call from a not-so-local animal shelter had Bradley Weiferich in disbelief.

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In fact, when Lucas County Canine Care & Control called asking if Bradley had lost his dog, he “actually thought it was a prank call.”

But this was no prank. A police officer in Toldeo, Ohio — nearly 100 miles away — had found a “very thin, but very sweet” stray dog wandering around the area.

Another incredible lost dog reunion story happened right here in #Toledo419! A missing dog from Lansing, Mich. finally went home with her family after FOUR YEARS thanks to a #microchip, @ToledoPolice, and @LucasCountyDogs: https://t.co/kBl5SGFAqt Welcome home, Bambi! #HappyTails — Alex Mester ⚔️ (@AlexMesterBlade) May 9, 2018

When the animal shelter retrieved the dog’s information from its microchip, they identified her as Bambi.

The shelter is thankful that the family got Bambi microchipped, and took to social media to encourage other pet owners to do the same.

“Who knows where she’s been the past 4 years, but we couldn’t be happier she finally made her way back home to Lansing and her loving family!” the shelter wrote on Facebook.

“This is just another great reminder about the importance of microchips and making sure your dogs chip is registered and with current information.”

“It’s also a great reminder that if you find a stray dog that they get scanned for a microchip, because they may have a family out there who’s missing them like crazy!”

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Bambi, now 12 years old, was reunited with her family in May. When Bradley went to pick her up at the Lucas County shelter, he barely recognized her. But soon, Bambi let out a familiar howl and he knew it was his family’s sweet dog.

He reports that Bambi “was ready to come home” and is adjusting to life reunited with her loving family “better than expected.”

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