Abandoned dog in Florida hotel had vanished from Texas home 7 years ago, shelter says
A Texas family’s 7-year search for their missing dog came to an surprising end, when she was found abandoned at in a Florida hotel, according to the Orange County Animal Shelter.
The discovery was made the first week of December, and it remains a mystery how the dog, Jazzy, ended up in Orlando, more than 900 miles from home, officials said.
A microchip is what led shelter staff to her long lost owners, who live in Fort Worth.
“She had been left behind in a hotel room, and could barely walk. ... She had a bad case of arthritis,” shelter officials wrote on Facebook.
“Incredibly, Jazzy was microchipped. Our staff tracked down the information, and it came back to a family in Texas. When we called them, we gave them the surprise of a lifetime.”
The family revealed Jazzy was 12 years old and had scrambled away 7 years ago, after getting spooked by people “lighting fireworks the night before July 4th.”
“Even after seven years, they never gave up hope,” the shelter said. “We told them about her health issues, her current condition, and we let them know their options. They never hesitated. Kerry, Jazzy’s owner, jumped on a plane from Texas to Florida.”
Their “tearful reunion” happened Saturday, Dec. 10, and shelter staff say they watched Jazzy “come to life” at hearing the sound of her owner’s voice.
“Jazzy couldn’t take her eyes off him. She licked his hand again and again and inched her body as close as she could to him,” the shelter said. “After all those years, her heart still remembered.”
Kerry Smith of Fort Worth wrote in a Dec. 8 Facebook post that Jazzy, an Australian shepherd, had reportedly been stuck in the hotel room three days without food and water.
“I have always wondered if she was happy and being cared for,” he wrote. “If I can make her end of life experience happier, that will be wonderful for both of us.”
The shelter posted photos of the reunion on Facebook, showing Jazzy and her owner on the floor together, under a Christmas tree. The post has gotten more than 4,000 reactions and comments, including some from people who called it “a true Christmas miracle.”
Had the microchip not been found, Jazzy’s fate likely would have been very different.
“We knew in her condition she’d be hard to find a home for. People line up outside our doors for puppies and small dogs; seniors always get overlooked and ignored,” shelter officials said.
“Our staff and volunteers have to endure heartache and heartbreak every day. Every now and then though, we get to watch something like this, and it makes every minute worth it.”
This story was originally published December 13, 2022 at 3:21 PM with the headline "Abandoned dog in Florida hotel had vanished from Texas home 7 years ago, shelter says."