Even after three years apart and a long journey across the country, Rico never forgot his first family. And last week he was overjoyed to finally be back in their arms.

Andrea Arce and her two daughters hadn't seen their beloved Rico since he was taken during a messy breakup three years earlier - but a few weeks ago they got a call from a shelter across the country that the 6-year-old dog had been found wandering alone on a street in Virginia, Fox 5 San Diego reports.

Arce, who thought she would never see her pup again, immediately arranged for Rico to fly home to California, and on Saturday night she and her daughters went to the airport.