One New York Jewish family was delightfully surprised when they found their missing family pet at a shelter adoption event last week.
Jenny and her family were at a Brooklyn animal shelter adoption event looking to add a new four-legged friend to their family after their beloved family dog was reportedly missing when they returned from a family vacation.
They had gone away for a week and left the dog, Mocha, with a petsitter sourced through a friend. When they returned, the dog was gone. Mocha was believed to be stolen after they failed to get in touch with the petsitter.
The family never gave up hope and searched for Mocha for months. They eventually decided it was time to add another pet to their family, as they felt a piece was missing.
After visiting an adoption event for New York's Animal Care Center (ACC), they quickly learned their missing family member was there and available for adoption.
How did Mocha end up at the ACC?
ACC staff shared the story on social media, explaining that Mocha was found tied up on New Lots Avenue in Brooklyn and alone before being brought to their shelter.
She was then named Sandy and became a favorite shelter resident among staff.
The family reflected on their reunion. "I turned around and was like oh that looks like Mocha," Jenny told ABC7 News New York. "And when he turned around, that is Mocha!"
The rescue team named her Sandy and she quickly became a staff and volunteer favorite.
One ACC Volunteer, Jay Damashek, said when the family saw Mocha it was the most exciting moment to happen in his more than 10 years of volunteer services.
Katy Hansen is the Director of Communications at ACC and said the organization was pleased to reunite the family with their lost pet and make the family whole again.
"Many people don't realize that your local shelter is the first place you should look when your pet goes missing," Hansen told local media "Since we are the only rescue organization mandated to take in all stray animals, if your pet goes missing in NYC, they have probably been brought into us. In 2022 ACC reunited 622 dogs with their families."
"Aside from going to your local shelter pet owners should register their pet online at Love Lost because their database is also tied into shelters across the nation."