Woman and pet reunited after two years

The owner of an American pit bull terrier has been reunited with her pet – missing for more than two years – after dog control officers found it had been microchipped twice.

The dog disappeared at eight months old from outside a Wellington address in May 2007 after it wandered out a communal gate that was left open.

The dog was found wandering in Kapiti recently and picked up by dog control officers and taken to the pound. An officer there realised it had been microchipped twice and was able to reunite the pet with its original owner.

The dog's owner, who did not want to be identified in case her pet was taken again, reported her dog missing and had given up hope of ever seeing him again.

Picking the animal up on Saturday she could not believe her pet had been found, Animal Management spokeswoman Vicki Harwood said. "She was gobsmacked. When she was first rung she just said: `Are you sure?"'

Asked if she could take her pet back, the owner replied: "By hell or high water I will," Ms Harwood said.

A dog control officer, who had worked in Wellington, realised the first digits of the chip had been used a few years ago for Wellington pets.

When she could find no record of the number on the national system she contacted the Wellington City Council office and records revealed the dog had been stolen.

Another microchip was found on the dog registering it to a Kapiti person, who was not too upset at hearing the news.

- © Fairfax NZ News