NORWICH, Conn. — A Connecticut family has been reunited with their dog five years after the beloved pet went missing. An animal control officer spotted the 17-year-old female dachshund last week in the parking lot of a city park, the Norwich Bulletin reports. The dog, named Lady, had lost most of her sight and hearing.

Donna Gremminger, a Norwich animal control officer, identified Lady's owners through a microchip. Rick and Michelle Riendeau were reunited Monday with Lady. The couple lives in Brooklyn, Connecticut, about 20 miles from Norwich.

An emotional Rick Riendeau said he contacted animal control when Lady first went missing. He said because they live near a wooded area, they feared she may have been killed by a wolves, or had wandered off to die.

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"We thought she was gone," Riendeau told the publication. "She's the greatest dog we've ever had."

In 2001, the couple brought Lady into the family when their children were 5 and 7 years old, the Bulletin reports. Rick Riendeau said Lady was instantly loved by the family. "Our kids are in their 20s now, married with kids of their own," Riendeau added. "I really hope she gets along with the grandkids."