Alberta dog reunites with owner in Manitoba

WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Humane Society routinely takes in dogs and reunites them with their owners — but not usually over a 1,300 kilometre distance.

A German shepherd mix from Alberta was found wandering around Stonewall, Manitoba, before he was brought to the Winnipeg shelter on April 19.

Laina Hughes, communications co-ordinator for the Winnipeg Humane Society, said someone found Rocky and thought he was a stray.

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He was in good health when he came to the humane society, she said. He didn’t have a tattoo, so they checked to see if he had a microchip.

Rocky’s microchip had his owner Shauna Doyle’s contact information on it. It turns out Rocky was from Irricana, Alta., and had been missing since October 2014.

Doyle was thrilled to find out her dog was found, said Hughes.

Though it seems like quite the journey, it’s unclear how Rocky made the trip from Alberta to Manitoba.

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“I’m assuming he got a ride,” said Hughes. “He wasn’t emaciated, so it looks like someone had fed him.”

His owner decided to make the 16-hour journey to Manitoba to bring him home.

Hughes said it’s important to update your contact information if your pet has a microchip. If you move or your pet goes to a new owner, the Humane Society can help you update that info.