'Never give up hope': US family reunited with dog lost for 5 years

A dog that went missing in Nebraska five years ago has been found at a truck stop in Indiana — more than 1,000 kilometers away — and reunited with its original family.

According to US outlet WKRC, Chong, the dog belonging to Inmaculada Jackman, disappeared from home in 2021 and was not seen again.

"Still, I kept looking," Jackman said. "I would go back to the old neighborhood, drive around and see if anyone had him, or if he was running around somewhere."

News of the lost dog reached Jackman five years later through a friend, who sent her a social media post saying Chong had been spotted at a truck stop in Indiana — about 1,033 kilometers from home.

Jackman contacted the animal shelter that had posted the update and identified herself as Chong's original owner. The shelter told her that someone had registered a microchip in Chong's name while he was missing, and that the registration had been processed in the same area shortly after Chong left home.

Following its rules, the shelter first contacted the microchip registrant, noting that if there was no response within three days, Chong could be returned to his original family.

No response came before the deadline, and Jackman was able to bring Chong home. Chece, a dog the family had adopted after Chong's disappearance, was also there to greet him.

Video released by the shelter showed Chong initially unaware of what was happening. Moments later, he leaped into Jackman's arms, pressed close to her and barked.

"Never give up hope," Jackman said, with a message for others still waiting for a lost pet. "It took five years, but we found him."