Microchip Helps L.I. Family Get Missing Dog Back 4 Years Later

~ Home Sweet Home ~

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Long Island family is celebrating the return of Cooper, their little white dog went missing four years ago.

The fluffy pup, a coton de Tulear, was dropped off at the Islip animal shelter about a month ago after he was found wandering the streets of Brentwood, about 17 miles from his home in Lloyd Harbor.

Shelter supervisor Joanne Daly said no one came looking for the dog. A microchip was found under his skin, and they traced its ownership to Gwynne Wicks and called her.

It was a call Wicks told Newsday she had long lost hope of receiving, a cell phone call so shocking she had to pull off the Long Island Expressway.

Wicks told Newsday that her two sons, David, now 14, and Michael, 8, were “thrilled” when she relayed the news. When she went to the shelter, she approached Cooper’s cage and said his name. “He turned around and looked at me and gave me a big lick,” she said with a laugh. “I said, ‘That’s him!’ ”

Wicks and Daly believe the dog, who was wearing a name tag and electric collar when he disappeared, was probably stolen. But, whoever took care of Cooper trained him well. The dog is now house trained, doesn’t bark as much and responds to commands, Wicks said.

Wicks said she hopes her story will inspire others to get their pets microchipped.

Comments are closed.