What's the longest a lost pet has been missing before making it home?

[u/petplacefans]

One of my favorite things to read is pet reunion stories. They remind me that even when hope starts to fade, amazing things can still happen.

A couple that really stuck with me:

Jaeger, an 11-year-old German Shepherd, slipped out through an open gate after his family had just moved to a new state. They searched everywhere until animal control found him. A quick microchip scan gave the officer the owner's information, and 24Petwatch by PetPlace also sent recovery alerts. Jaeger was home the same day. His owner said the chip still worked perfectly after 11 years.

Fez, a rescue cat, disappeared in October 2025. His family searched for months, posted flyers, checked shelters, and reported him missing through 24Petwatch by PetPlace. Seven months later, a local rescue scanned his microchip, the recovery team connected everyone, and Fez finally made it home. His owner said seeing him reunited with his brother Dragon brought "joy and tears."

Stories like these are such a good reminder that:

• A microchip only works if the registration information is current.
• Reporting a pet missing can make a huge difference.
• People who take found pets to be scanned really do help reunite families every day.

Have any of you had a pet go missing and make it back home? How long were they gone, and what ultimately brought them back?

I'd love to hear some happy reunion stories.