Missing Houston dog found 350 miles from home, to be reunited with owner Saturday

EDINBURG, Texas ( ValleyCentral ) — One Houston-area woman got the surprise of a lifetime after she learned her dog, who had been missing for over a year, was found in the Rio Grande Valley.

The dog, Beaux, was found in Edinburg just over 350 miles from his Humble, Texas home. City of Edinburg officials say they could identify the pup because he was microchipped and say Beaux’s upcoming reunion with his owner would not be possible without it.

Beaux is a timid, outgoing Maltipoo. He was found roaming the streets of Edinburg.

The city’s animal control says they made the surprising discovery about Beaux’s origins after taking him in. Bianca Joseph, the dog’s owner, says she was in shock when she first got the call.

“It just so happened that yesterday, they called back to back like two or three times in a row and anytime that happens, it makes me think it’s family somewhere,” Joseph said. “So I was like, let me answer. And that’s when he said, do you have a dog beaux? And I was like, yes, yes, I do. And he said that they had, he had him at a shelter.”

Joseph says she does not know how Beaux ended up in South Texas. The only friend she says Beaux would sometimes go visit was to the north of the state in Cleveland, Texas.

Immediately after Beaux’s disappearance, Joseph said she began putting up flyers. At one point, she almost thought she lost him for good but held on to hope that his microchip would help lead him back home.

City of Edinburg Assistant Director for Health and Code and Animal Care Services Rafael Gonzalez says it is uncommon to get cases like these but thanked microchips for making it possible.

“This is rare,” Gonzalez said. “To get an animal that is seven hours or far away, but we do get animals like a lot of stray dogs. Luckily, some are chipped, they have their microchip, and helps us to locate their owners.”

Although the city animal services do not microchip pets, local veterinary clinics offer the service. Gonzalez says the microchips can help keep your furry friend safe and are so tiny that most pets don’t even feel them.

“The microchipping is not a GPS,” said Cesar Orellana, who is the supervisor for the City of Edinburg Animal Care. “People have a misconception that the chip is going to track where the dog is going. It doesn’t work like that as the scanner is just in case if someone finds him, and we will only be able to locate the owners if the animal gets scanned.”

Officials with animal care say nobody can track pets as the microchip can only be scanned by animal control or veterinary clinics.

The cost of a microchip is just between $10 and $20 in most areas. Some cities even offer it for free.

Joseph says she is anxious to get reunited with Beaux and make sure he is still ok.

“I want to get them back healthy because what I saw just broke my heart,” Joseph said. “Like I cried. After I saw the picture they sent me I sent them pictures of him, and they were like, oh, wow, like, devastating.”

Joseph tells us she plans to travel to Edinburg this Saturday to pick up Beaux. She also says she has already set up a check-up to make sure he is in top shape.

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