A 3-year-old dog from California who went missing nearly nine months ago was recently reunited with her family. Mishka, a Terrier Mix, disappeared from her owner’s workplace in July 2023 without a trace. In a miraculous turn of events, Mishka was found alive and healthy somewhere in Michigan, over 2,000 miles away from her home.
Dog ‘Mishka’ went missing last summer, found 2,000 miles away from home
Last July, Mishka wandered away from her owner’s workplace, an auto garage, leaving the Houman family worried sick about her, as per AP News. Unfortunately, weeks turned into months with no reported sightings of Mishka. Despite their significant search efforts, the Houmans couldn’t find her. It never occurred to them that Mishka would be found in good shape thousands of miles away, many months later.
In late March 2024, authorities in Harper Woods, Michigan, responded to reports of a stray dog wandering the area, The Guardian reported. Upon arrival, police picked up the seemingly lost pup and took her to the Grosse Pointe Animal Adoption Society. Thankfully, Mishka had a microchip, which enabled the shelter to trace her owners.
Interestingly, the Houmans were traveling to Minneapolis when they received an unexpected call about Mishka. Overwhelmed by the good news, a joy-stricken Mehrad Houman drove 10 hours to finally reunite with their long-lost pup.
“I’ve been missing my kid, so that’s I think what anybody would do to go get their kid back,” Mehrad said.
The adoption center suspects someone stole Mishka and sold her before she was eventually found in Michigan.
Mishka received a rabies shot and was medically cleared to travel home with her family to California. Veterinarian Nancy Pillsbury, who assessed Mishka back in Michigan, confirmed the canine was in good health overall despite her missing for so long.
According to Pillsbury, she was clean and well-fed. “Whoever had her took good care of her. How she got here — that’s a story only Mishka knows,” the vet added.