Dog called Minion returns to godsmacked family after going missing for 12 years
A dog that went missing from a backyard more than a decade ago has astonishingly returned to its family.
Minion the Bichon Frise was only three-years-old when he was taken in by Skip and Raleigh Crandall. At that time, their three children were just 8, 10 and 12. However, one day in 2011 the backyard gate was accidently left open and the pup escaped, seemingly never to be seen again.
Dad Skip said: "He and our other dog at the time ran out - one came back and the other did not".
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Minion the dog was adopted by the Crandall family in Arizona (Arizona News/YouTube)The distraught family searched all the nearby dog shelters in Arizona and put up signs as well as asking neighbours for help. But they resigned themselves to believing that "playful" Minion was gone forever and daughter Callie, now 20, told Fox News it was "super sad" at the time.
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Mum Raleigh then recalled receiving missed calls from an unknown number as well as voicemails. They turned out to be from a Maricopa County Animal Control field officer called Allyssa Sanford.
Callie (left) and Skip (right) Crandall could not believe their much-missed pet had returned to them (Arizona News/YouTube)Allyssa said: "I actually had to go pick up the dog from somebody who was reporting it as a stray - so I did what we always do in the field and checked for a chip.
"I went back to my computer and it was in our system, but the last reported time it was updated was 2011." The officer had no idea how long Minion had been missing for so when Skip returned her calls and said he'd been gone for more than a decade, she felt she was part of a unique reunion.
The little pup escaped after family's backyard gate was left open (Arizona News/YouTube)Allyssa drove around 20 miles to return the now-15-year-old pet and described how his tail began wagging and body jumping the whole time, as if he "knew" what was happening. "He was like a new puppy again," she added.
After so many years had passed, the Crandall's prepared themselves for the worst. But instead Minion leaped up all on the family members and began lovingly cuddling them.
Callie called the family reunion with Minion 'sweet' (Arizona News/YouTube)Callie said: "He just climbed on top of me and started cuddling with me and everything. So it was definitely sweet to have that reunion." Research has shown that dogs can create lasting memories through association, including people and environments, and can also recognise people through sight and smell.
Minion is back in a big way (Arizona News/YouTube)Minion's implanted microchip was key to the happy ending. Allyssa advised people to have their pets microchipped - which only costs up to $30 - as a priority and added that they can lose their collar at any time but they can never lose this little piece of clever technology.
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