A Texas family got the call that their lost dog had turned up nearly two years later, more than 1,000 miles away. In a heartwarming press release, the Clark Township Police Department informed that someone spotted the Miniature Schnauzer from Glenn Heights, Texas, “roaming” around the mall area and contacted police. They found Koko on March 4, wandering around the Clark Commons Shopping Center in Clark, New Jersey.
Police officers took care of the dog while owners flew to New Jersey for the reunion
Patrolman Nick Kurus responded and brought the lost dog back to police headquarters. Then the officers tracked down information related to a pet finder service, with the police saying that the staff managed to “successfully identify the number of a pet finder service.” From there, Kurus used it to get the name and phone number for the missing dog’s last recorded owner.
When he called, the owners could hardly believe what they heard. Police said the pet parents were “shocked” to receive the call and told Kurus that Koko had been missing for two years after disappearing in Texas.
The family immediately planned to fly to New Jersey to bring her home. While they arranged the trip, Koko became part of the police department’s daily life, and officers ensured she did not spend that time in a shelter.
The department said, “Rather than being sent to a shelter, members of the Clark Police Department cared for the dog the next 3 days.” The police explained that the staff bathed her, fed her, walked her, and gave her blankets and toys. Moreover, they highlighted that items were “purchased by department members out of their own pockets.”
Police Director Patrick Grady praised the effort, saying, “As a dog lover amongst many other dog lovers, we were not going to make that puppy wait in a shelter or pound.”
The lost dog was reunited with her owners on March 7, and it brought an emotional ending to Koko’s long detour. Police said she was seen “running right to her mommy” when her owner arrived, adding that both owners “were extremely grateful for the care and compassion the Clark Police showed for her dog.”
