Family reunited with dog lost 6 years ago
HOPE MILLS, N.C. -- A military family in Hope Mills got the surprise of a lifetime.
The Weston family thought they would never see their long-lost dog, Bam, again, until he turned up in a Fayetteville animal shelter a few days ago after being lost for six years.
K.C. Weston, 18, said he couldn't believe his eyes when his dad brought home his childhood dog.
"I was shocked! I was just . . . stayed like with my mouth open. 'That can't be him,' but turns out that it is," Weston said.
The Weston's first got Bam when they were stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington state. Their beloved dog traveled with them everywhere, even across the country to, right here, in North Carolina.
They were heartbroken when, one day, Bam just didn't come home.
"I didn't really believe it at first, like it was just the same routine every day, and we would just let him out every morning. That morning he just didn't come back," Weston said.
That was six years ago, and since then Weston's got a new white boxer dog named Mila. So when Fayetteville Animal Control called, the family thought Mila had run away.
They said they were both surprised and thrilled to find out it was Bam that animal control found.
A Good Samaritan found Bam by the side of the road and turned him over to animal control. They were able to track down the Weston's through info placed on a microchip attached to Bam.
The information on the chip listed the Weston's old Washington address, but Fayetteville Animal Control was able to track the family down for the reunion.
Weston said he never wants to experience that again.
"I love them, both of them just the same. I don't want to lose any of them," Weston said.
Weston's dad says it's the best Father's Day gift he's ever received.
Bam is 10 years old right now, but the Weston family says they couldn't be happier to have him back home.
Cumberland County Animal Services said the best way to make sure your pet comes back home if he ever gets lost, is to make sure his location records are up to date.
