Missing California dog found more than 2,000 miles away in Michigan
"We never gave up hope," said the dog's owner.
SAN DIEGO (KSWB/KUSI) -- A California family has finally been reunited with their fur baby after over seven months missing. The terrier mix was found more than 2,000 miles from home, in Detroit.
The dog, Mishka, was at her owner's auto shop in July 2023 when she disappeared. Owner Mehrad Houman and his family live in San Diego.
His wife, Elizabeth, and their daughter cut short their vacation when they found out Mishka was gone, flying back from Minneapolis to put up flyers. They said they never expected her to be missing for so long since she is microchipped and has a collar with the family's phone number on it.
Even so, "We never gave up hope," Elizabeth said. “I put up over a thousand flyers within a few months. I put a flyer on my back windshield just to put it out there. I wore her leash, so if I saw her I would grab her and put her in my car. It was one of the most horrifying things knowing someone took her with identification and disregarded us and our family. It was really hard."
Meanwhile, police in Detroit suburb Harper Woods responded to a call about a stray, picked up the dog, and contacted the Grosse Pointe Animal Adoption Society. The animal welfare group said it quickly discovered Mishka had an identity chip implanted in her with information about her owners, according to the Associated Press.
“We think it was stolen and then it was sold and ended up in Michigan,” said Corinne Martin, director of Grosse Pointe Animal Adoption Society. Veterinarian Nancy Pillsbury examined 3-year-old Mishka, gave her a rabies shot, and cleared her to travel back home to California.
When the family got the call that their dog was found, Mehrad drove 10 hours to get their beloved Mishka from the adoption society. They said they are very grateful to have her home and are extremely thankful for the good Samaritan who found her. They also said Mishka seems to have separation anxiety and related PTSD, weighs much less than before, and is very tired.
The family also thanked the Grosse Pointe Animal Adoption Society for providing her a collar, leash, carrier, a vet visit, and even papers for Mishka to fly home. They intend to contact the police in San Diego in an effort to find out who took Mishka.
"We really want to figure out who took Mishka, and how she got to Detroit, Michigan from San Diego," Elizabeth said. "We're never going to let her go again."
The Associated Press contributed to this report