A family dog named ‘Missy’ that went missing nearly 10 years ago has been reunited with its ‘fur-ever’ family, thanks to the work of City of Canterbury Bankstown’s Animal Control Officers.
The 15-year-old Miniature American Staffordshire Terrier, was found roaming the streets of Canterbury by a local resident who alerted Council.
Council Officers took Missy to the Canterbury-Bankstown Animal Shelter, where they cared for her and scanned her microchip.
After searching through records, the mystery surrounding Missy’s owners was solved – she belonged to a loving family who had reported her missing in 2015.
When contacted by Council, Missy’s owner, Rebecca McIlrick said she was over the moon.
“Everywhere we went, Missy came! She followed us around like a shadow and she was a real family dog,” Ms McIlrick said.
“We were devastated when she went missing and we searched for her for ages.
“We honestly thought she would be found sooner as she was microchipped… We’ve never been able to own another dog.”
Ms McIlrick said she couldn’t wait to be reunited with Missy and made her way to the animal shelter as soon as she hung up the phone.
“My kids thought I was losing the plot when I told them Missy was still alive! We were all in disbelief and we were calculating how old she would be,” Ms McIlrick said.
“She hasn’t changed, and all her old habits are the same. She loves her walks, playing in the water and spending time with the family.”
Missy will be enjoying her retirement years with Ms McIlrick’s eldest son, Mason, who has also recently found out he is going to be a first-time dad.
“It’s been a very special time for the family,” Ms McIlrick said.
A happy ending, but the mystery of what Missy did and who cared for her in those missing years, will most likely never be revealed.
Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor, Bilal El-Hayek said he was pleased to see a happy ending for Missy and her family thanks to her being microchipped all those years ago.
“We know how much our residents love their four-legged friends and we want to ensure they all get home safely if they wander astray,” Mayor El-Hayek said.
“It’s so important to get your animals microchipped and ensure your details are up to date.
“Council offers free microchipping service to all residents and we also hold pop-up microchipping days at our local parks.”
The Council’s next pop-up microchipping event will be held on Saturday 20 July at Band Hall Reserve, Birrong, from 9am-2pm.
