Abilene family reunites with lost dog after over 2 years

ABILENE, Texas — An Abilene family spent over 700 days without their pet, but was thrilled to be able to have her back for Christmas this year.

“It was during the night time so we were all asleep when it had happened,” pet owner, Victoria Moreno, said. “Early that next morning, my dad went out in the backyard and noticed our door was open and that was the moment my heart sank and I was just devastated.”

The Moreno family was searching for their dog, Riley, for months.

“Both me and my mom, we were pretty, just devastated from the whole thing,” Victoria said. “Not knowing how to feel we just kind of lost all hope that day. We tried our best to power through it, but it really did break our hearts that we would never be able to see Riley again.”

But now, after over two years, Riley finally spent Christmas with her family again.

“We got a notification through Facebook,” pet owner, Nancy Moreno, said. “Somebody used our very old post where I had, where there was a poster of her and said there was a new dog in the shelter, and she said I know it’s been over two years but it looks like it could possibly be yours.”

The family was in disbelief that it was their dog at first, but went to the shelter to check it out anyways.

“When we got there, she came straight to Victoria and recognized her,” Nancy said. ‘We were like oh my goodness it’s her.”

“I was hesitant at first,” Victoria said. “I didn’t really think it was her because, being two years, you kind of just have that doubt inside you, like, it’s been so long, there’s no way.”

Victoria said that when her dog came out, she had a deep feeling it was Riley.

“She gave so many signs,” Victoria said. “She would do all these different kind of things that she would normally do when we had her. And that’s when it just kind of clicked and I was like yeah, this is for sure Riley.”

Some would say it was a Christmas miracle that they found their dog after so long.

“A lot of people were like, ‘that can’t be, it’s a miracle, like how, how did that happen,’” Nancy said. “So yeah, I guess it was kind of like a miracle, it was kind of like a miracle that we just didn’t think, you know, that it was possible, and it happened.”

The Moreno family said they are overjoyed to be reunited with Riley.