A Border collie who was rescued by an animal shelter has sadly returned three years later.
Five-year-old Mia’s story has recently broken hearts on Facebook in a post shared by Aussie Rescue of Minnesota, which originally took her in as a stray back in 2022. A few weeks ago, the rescue received a call from the microchip company registered to them stating Mia had been found again.
The shelter’s director, Nancy Andersen, told Newsweek: “She was found lying exhausted in the middle of a busy street. A kind woman who was walking her dog rescued her, took her to the vet to check for a chip, and that is how we were notified.”
The American Humane Society says that, each year, approximately 10 million pets are lost in the United States, and millions of those end up in the nation’s animal shelters. Only 15 percent of dogs and 2 percent of cats in shelters without ID tags or microchips are reunited with their owners.
In 2022, the shelter found out about Mia through animal control, where she had been for three months. Then, the owner who had been looking on rescue websites came forward and took her home.
Andersen and the team never expected to see Mia again, especially not in the condition she was in.
The October 21 post states Mia was “filthy and full of mats.” It also states that a good Samaritan rescued her, brought her to a local vet to check for a chip, and took her home to keep her safe. “She also has ballooned from 50 to 87 pounds. Other than desperately needing to lose weight, Mia is an otherwise healthy and happy 5 year old black [and] brown Aussie mix.”
Andersen said: “I was able to contact the owner, who had begged for her, and she told me she had rehomed her two years ago which is a violation of our contract, which says the dog always is to be returned to us.
“I am very angry about what happened but relieved that she is safe and unhurt,” Andersen added.
Despite everything Mia has been through, the Border collie hasn’t given up hope on humans, according to the post, which has over 270 likes.
It says, “[Mia] adores attention from people,” and gets along with other dogs.
“Onwards and upwards! Better days ahead! Someone will treasure her,” commented one user. Another wrote: “Mia deserves nothing but the best life. Thank you for taking her back in.”
