Now this is most certainly a tale that proves once again that the kindness of strangers can move mountains. Or in this case, rescue dogs that go on long-distance adventures and forget their way back home.
Recently, a well-loved dog named Diva was miraculously reunited with her family, 1,200 miles away from where her journey began. Diva, who had been missing from her Colorado Springs, Colo., home for two months, was found wandering near the Oak Knoll Veterinary Clinic in Rolling Prairie, Ind. A kind rescuer spotted her and brought her to the clinic. There, veterinary technicians Maggie Thornberry and Elizabeth Daniele stepped, in to help.
Maggie Thornberry and Elizabeth Daniele with Diva the dog. Photo by Maggie Thornberry
After scanning Diva’s microchip, the team was stunned to learn of her long-distance road trip. Thornberry and Daniele reached out to Diva’s owner, Maria Rodriguez, who was speechless when she heard that her dog had made it all the way to Indiana. “I didn’t think I was going to see her again because she’d been gone for two months,” Rodriguez shared.
My first question was, ‘How did she get over there?!’”
Determined to reunite the pair, Thornberry and Daniele volunteered to drive Diva halfway to Kansas City, Mo., where they met Rodriguez and her fiancé, Charles Green. Despite the eight-hour trek, the effort was well worth it. “It was a super fulfilling experience,” Thornberry said. “It’s moments like these that remind us why we do what we do.”
When Diva finally spotted Rodriguez at a Kansas City dog park, her transformation was instant. The once-nervous dog leaped into her owner’s arms, wagging her tail with unstoppable enthusiasm. “She turned into a completely different dog after seeing her mama!” Thornberry said.
Diva poses with her owner Maria Rodriguez (left), her fiancé Charles Green (right), Maggie Thornberry and Elizabeth Daniele. Photo by Maggie Thornberry
The emotional reunion was captured on camera and shared by Thornberry on TikTok, where the video quickly went viral, amassing thousands of likes and comments. Viewers celebrated Diva’s return and shared their own stories of long-lost pets making their way home.
Rodriguez was overjoyed to have her furry friend back, noting how quickly Diva remembered her family. “She remembered all of us, all of who we were.” she said.
Diva is proof to me that dogs do know who their human is.”
Now back home, Diva is settling in well. “She got back in the habit of things,” Rodriguez said. “Just seeing her again, I still can’t believe that she’s here. I cried and I prayed, and that was my baby, and she’s home now.”
Thornberry summed up the experience perfectly: “I just couldn’t stop thinking about if it was my dog. My dog is my best friend, and I hope someone would take care of him the way that I took care of their dog.”
@maggiethornberry48 Someone brought in this sweet stray to be scanned for a microchip. We contacted the owners and told them we had found their dog. They said their pup had been missing for two months and they would come and get her immediately. We told them where we were located in Indiana and we would wait for them. They said they were from COLORADO!!!! We decided we would leave at 5am the next morning, travel halfway to Kansas City, and unite this pup with her owners. This was such a heartwarming experience for both @Elizabeth Daniele and me. We absolutely love our jobs and are so thankful for Oak Knoll Vet Clinic for giving us this opportunity. Dr. Szuba, our office manager Josh, and all of our wonderful coworkers make moments like this possible. We would do it a thousand times again. These are the stories that remind us why we do what we do. Welcome home, Diva <3 #fyp #dogsoftiktok #reunited #vetmed ♬ Save My Soul – noahrinker
