​Abandoned, not abandoned....

When Chicago Animal Care and Control was unable to reach a dog’s family after he was left at the shelter, they passed along his microchip for our Microchip Hunters team to investigate.

The dog, later known to us as Coffee, was labeled “abandoned” but we know that word doesn’t always tell the full story.

After pulling the microchip registration (originally registered in 2023) and running background searches, I posted for one of our volunteers to work this case, noting that “abandoned” doesn’t always mean the owner chose to leave their dog behind.

Volunteer Cheryl took the case and, despite disconnected phone numbers, she didn't give up! She tracked down the owner through Facebook, and what she found out changed everything

The owner replied to Cheryl's message: “ICE kicked me out of the country and I have no way to return.”

Cheryl asked if there was anyone who could care for Coffee and explained he had been brought to the shelter.

The owner shared: “There’s no one to take care of him. I asked a friend to take him to CACC. I know you’ll take care of him and find him a new family. I replied to the email you sent asking if there was an organization that could help send him to Mexico. I can take care of him in Mexico; he’s my companion.”

After reaching out to a group of rescues, without hesitation, Border Tails Rescue stepped in and said YES, they would pick Coffee up from CACC, care for him, and arrange transport to reunite him with his family in Mexico. They work with dogs in Mexico and were glad to help!

The owner confirmed "I would love to meet up with Coffee again; that would make me very happy"

Because of Cheryl’s persistence, because of incredible rescue partners, and because of one tiny microchip, this story gets a different ending.

Thank you Chicago Animal Care and Control for partnering with Microchip Hunters, to Cheryl for her determination in tracking down Coffee's family, to Harleigh from Border Tails Rescue for stepping up so quickly to help, and to Matteo for caring for Coffee as your own during transport!!!

Welcome back to your family, Coffee.

All this, because of his microchip....

#MicrochipHunters
www.microchiphelp.com
Lost Dogs Illinois

A huge thank you to Carlos for taking Casper in and bringing him to Chicago Animal Care and Control to be scanned for a microchip. CACC attempted to call the phone number listed on the chip, but it was no longer working. Carlos also tried the address on file, but the family no longer lived there.

Carlos then submitted the microchip to Microchip Hunters, and the search began. After multiple attempts calling various phone numbers connected to family members through research, I finally received a text back: “Oh yes! She did say they lost their dog,” along with a current phone number!

Just a minute later, I received a call confirming that Casper belonged to an ex who only speaks Spanish. She offered to help with the reunite, but it turned out Carlos speaks Spanish too, making things even easier! Carlos told me that Ricardo was crying on the phone, he was so happy that Casper was safe.

Arrangements were made for today, and this wonderful reunion photo says it all.

Be sure to check out the video in the comments, it’s especially sweet when you see the moment Casper realizes his family is there!

Thank you to everyone involved in guiding this reunion, and to Carlos and his family for the wonderful care Casper received the few days he was with you! He was a lucky boy!
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Lost Dogs Illinois
Microchip Hunters
www.microchiphelp.com

Silk Was Missing for Over a Year; One Phone Call Changed Everything

Liz found this little dog running in the street and took her in to keep her safe. She did exactly what we always hope someone will do, she took the dog to be scanned for a microchip. THANK YOU!

And there was a chip!

But the excitement quickly faded when the microchip wasn’t registered. The two companies listed had absolutely no owner information at all.

Liz reached out to a rescue for advice, and they recommended submitting the microchip number to Microchip Hunters. Thankfully she did.

By the time the chip came to us it was later in the afternoon, and Liz wasn’t able to keep the dog overnight, so she had to bring her to Chicago Animal Care and Control.

Microchip Hunters started digging.

I was able to trace where the dog had originally been microchipped and contacted that veterinary clinic. They still had owner information on file, from 2017.

But then… another dead end.

The phone numbers were no longer current.

So, the search continued.

After tracking down additional possible contacts, one number finally answered, it was the owner’s sister-in-law.

Her first words were: "You found my brother’s dog."
She called him while I was still on the line.

He told us that Silk had been missing for over a year, and he couldn’t wait to tell his wife, who was at work at the time.

This morning, I received a call from his wife whose name was on the microchip. She told me Silk had gotten out of their backyard, someone had left the gate open. She told me she would be at Chicago Animal Care and Control at 3:30 today.

We let CACC know, and shortly after they sent us the reunion photo… and the video below.

Welcome home Silk!

​Lost Dogs Illinois
www.microchiphelp.com
#MicrochipHunters

18 years old. Missing for a month. And finally going home.

Meet Darwin.

This little senior boy was found and brought to the Anti-Cruelty Society, who then transferred him to Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC) for his stray hold.

Darwin had a microchip, but unfortunately the phone number registered to the chip was disconnected, a situation Microchip Hunters see far too often.

That’s when Microchip Hunters stepped in, receiving the case from CACC.

Using the chip information, Microchip Hunters began tracing additional leads to try to locate Darwin’s family. Microchip Hunter Amy D. was able to reach someone connected to the family. They confirmed they did want their dog back, but they spoke very little English. A younger girl got on the line and explained that Darwin had been missing for about a month.

To help bridge the language barrier, Microchip Hunter Carmen, who speaks Spanish, called the owner to make sure they received the text with instructions on how to reclaim Darwin from CACC.

Because of that call, Darwin’s family was able to get there and bring their 18-year-old boy home. Thank you to the person that took Darwin in for help getting home, and to ACS and CACC for their steps in this process!
After a month missing, this senior dog finally gets to sleep in his own home again.

This is exactly why Microchip Hunters works every lead, even when a chip seems like a dead end.
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#MicrochipHunters
www.microchiphelp.com
Lost Dogs Illinois

Toby was brought to Chicago Animal Care and Control by a Good Samaritan and thankfully, he had a microchip. The chip was registered to an owner in Tennessee, but when CACC called the number on file, the woman who answered was not the person listed on the registration. With no clear next step, the case was sent over to Microchip Hunters.

The Microchip Hunters team got to work. In digging a little deeper, it was discovered that a relative connected to the microchip information was living right here in Chicago. Microchip Hunter Pauline started there, and success! The Chicago contact was actually the owner.

"This has never happened whilst in my custody until I boarded him at a dog sitter."

He went to Chicago Animal Care and Control, and once his family member confirmed, he was able to provide proof of ownership and reclaim Toby.

Toby's microchip is now updated, including an emergency contact for his wife.

Welcome home, Toby! You are loved!
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Lost Dogs Illinois
MIcrochip Hunters
www.microchiphelp.com

Bubba ended up at Chicago Animal Care and Control as a stray December. 23rd, however the phone number attached to his microchip was disconnected!

Chicago Animal Care and Control sent to Microchip Hunters for help. By cross-referencing the lost post his family shared on Lost Dogs Illinois, Microchip Hunter Jen tracked down a family member in Japan through Facebook. He confirmed the dog had slipped away while he was pet-sitting just before his move overseas and put us in touch with the owner. After being treated for kennel cough at the shelter, he was officially reunited with his family on January 31st! While he’s a little out of shape from his months on the streets, his owner shared that 'he is in great spirits and so happy to be home."

Welcome home Bubba! You are loved!!!

Keep the contact information up to date on your pet's microchip!
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Lost Dogs Illinois
Microchip Hunters
www.microchiphelp.com
PetFBI #741971

This is Shadow, missing for a year and a half, and thought to be an 'abandoned' dog! Microchips work! Keep them registered, and PLEASE SCAN FOUND DOGS for microchips. Their families are counting on you!

Thank you, Mikal, for submitting a microchip for a found dog to Microchip Hunters.
Microchip Hunters checked on the microchip, and it was registered. A call to the owner was made and followed up by text in case this wasn't a current number.

"Yes, this is Stephen." "Are you able to send a picture of him?" It was him! Stephen told me they were missing him...after a year and a half, photos mean everything!

"He looks a little scared, but I promise you he is gentle and loving, hardheaded but lovable. How long have you guys had him, and where was he found?" I directed Stephen to Mikal and let Mikal know he would be calling!

Thank you to Patti for also posting this found dog on a neighborhood page where recommendations were made on what to do!

Sharing Mikal's post: "I found his owner! He hadn’t seen his dog in over a year, He’d assumed that the dog possibly was dead by now. Where was the dog before I found him cold, and despondent, in an alley . . . on a leash?! Who knows. Major thanks goes to Microchip Hunters (microchiphelp.com), because I received no response after providing the dog’s name and microchip number to an organization recommnded by an animal clinic.
This poor dog was ecstatic when the owner came to pick him up today.
Miracles do happen! "

Let's keep working together to keep families together!
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Lost Dogs Illinois
Microchip Hunters
www.microchiphelp.com

Home at Last! The found Border Collie from #Bellwood, IL, is home safe and sound! His name is Logan! Found 01-18-2026 Reunited 01-22-2026. Welcome home!

MICROCHIP HUNTERS was able to find a relative that contacted the owner! The microchip was registered to an old phone number!
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#LostDogsIllinois #PetFBI ID# 767829