Dog reunited with family 11 years after being stolen

The family never gave up hope of finding their beloved pet

Mar. 24, 2026 at 5:55am

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A Pennsylvania family has been reunited with their dog Forty-Cal more than a decade after he was stolen from their Philadelphia backyard in 2015. The family never stopped searching for their beloved pet and kept his microchip information up to date, which allowed an animal shelter to contact them when they found the senior stray dog on Saturday night. The overjoyed family is now bringing Forty-Cal home to live out his golden years with them.

Why it matters

This heartwarming story highlights the power of microchipping pets and the importance of never giving up hope, even after many years. It serves as an inspiration to other pet owners who may be searching for a lost animal and reminds people to keep their pet's microchip information current.

The details

In 2015, two dogs were stolen from the family's Philadelphia backyard. One of the dogs was eventually found, but the other, named Forty-Cal, never returned home. The family searched for days, weeks, and years, but eventually relocated to Luzerne County, though they never forgot about their beloved pet. They kept Forty-Cal's lost pet report active and ensured his microchip information was up to date, which proved crucial when ACCT Philly found the senior stray dog on Saturday night and were able to contact the family.

  • In 2015, two dogs were stolen from the family's Philadelphia backyard.
  • On Saturday night, ACCT Philly found the senior stray dog and scanned his microchip.

The players

Forty-Cal

The family's dog that was stolen from their Philadelphia backyard in 2015 and was recently reunited with his family after 11 years.

ACCT Philly

The animal shelter that found the senior stray dog and scanned his microchip, allowing them to contact the family.

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What they’re saying

“I thought it was a joke. It's just amazing, and I can't believe after years that he was brought back to us.”

— Jourdyn, Owner

What’s next

The family is looking forward to bringing Forty-Cal home and letting him live out his golden years with them.

The takeaway

This heartwarming story serves as a reminder to pet owners to always keep their pet's microchip information up to date, as it can be the key to reuniting a lost pet with their family, even after many years. It also shows the importance of never giving up hope when a beloved pet goes missing.