Her Dog Named Gizmo Escaped From Her Backyard And Went Missing For Nine Years Before He Was Finally Returned Home
As a dog owner, one of my biggest fears is losing my dog and not knowing what happened to him. While my spirits would likely be extremely low, I’d never lose hope in reuniting with him one day.
This happened to a woman in Nevada whose beloved dog ran away and was missing for nine years before she found him.
For almost a decade, Judith Monarrez, a Las Vegas resident, posted every few months on the internet about her dog, Gizmo, who fled home without a collar when he was only two-years-old in 2015.
On February 3rd of that year, Gizmo, a long-haired chihuahua, escaped from their house and vanished before Judith could catch him.
Judith immediately took to the internet, creating a Facebook page, ‘Bring Gizmo Home,’ and posting pictures of him, begging people to be on the lookout and offering a reward for his return.
“I haven’t given up and will continue my search for him,” wrote Judith on Facebook.
“He is dearly missed by the family, and I hope whoever has him will come forward.”
Days without Gizmo turned into painful months and, eventually, years. Still, Judith never stopped posting notices on her Facebook page, desperate to get him back.
Making the situation even more heartbreaking, Judith believed Gizmo might have been found and stolen by someone since many people were keeping their eyes out for him, and there were a few rumors of a neighbor scooping him up.
otsphoto – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual dog
She had little to no updates on her baby until nine years later, on July 17th, 2024, when she got a call late at night from The Animal Emergency Center in Henderson, Nevada, telling her a woman had brought Gizmo into their office and her name popped up after they scanned his microchip.
“After being gone for nine years, Gizmo has finally been found!” Judith said.
“He is in very rough shape, and I cannot fathom what he went through, but we got the call late last night and were reunited. He’s going to need lots of care and lots of love.”
Gizmo, now 11-years-old, indeed needed a ton of tender love and care, as his cute white fur was mostly gone, and veterinarians noticed he had dental issues, skin problems, infections, etc.
Wanting to do everything she could for her miracle dog, Judith created a GoFundMe page so people who followed Gizmo’s story could donate to pay his medical bills.
So far, she’s raised over $9,200, and the donations continue to pour in.
“He is getting back to being himself and follows us everywhere, which is adorable,” Judith stated on the GoFundMe page.
“It also makes me tear up a little because it seems he does it to make sure we aren’t separated again. I’ll never let that happen ever again, that’s for darn sure.”
We are so very happy to hear that Gizmo and Judith are back together and that people are helping him get the care he needs after a wild nine years.
If you want to donate to Judith’s GoFundMe, you can visit the link here.
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