Owner reunites with 16-year-old dog missing 7 years

Jessie Springer and Nugget are together again! (Photo: WYFF News 4)

We all love stories with happy endings, especially when they involve pets and animals. Here's one that recently made the news:

By Gina Vivinetto

Today.com

A New Mexico woman flew all the way across the country to be reunited with her 16-year-old dog who vanished seven years ago.

Jessie Springer of Farmington, New Mexico, looked for her dog, Nugget, for years after he disappeared, but eventually gave up hope that she'd ever see him again, according to NBC affiliate WYFF of Greenville, S.C.

That all changed when she was contacted by a woman named Jennifer, from Travelers Rest, South Carolina. Jennifer had recently found an old, injured dog limping in the rain in the middle of a road and had taken him to a nearby emergency vet to be treated.

The vet discovered the dog was microchipped and had an interesting history, WYFF reported. His name? Nugget. His home? Nearly 2000 miles away.

Springer received the text that her dog had been found, and she was shocked. “When Jen texted me, I was like, 'Wait, what?'” Springer told WYFF. “This dog never left my side, so I thought he had, like, walked off to die because he was already old.” Carolina Loving Hound Rescue, a rescue organization based out of Greenville, stepped in to help fly Springer to Greenville, where she was reunited with her long-lost pooch. Springer and Nugget had an emotional reunion. As soon as Springer saw Nugget, she burst into tears. She then gave Jennifer, the kind stranger who found her dog, a big hug. No one has any idea how Nugget traveled from one side of the U.S. to the other. The senior dog now has his own Facebook page. Follow his story here: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=105703445782667&