After two long years, an 11-year-old dog named Mamay is back where she belongs—home with the family who never stopped searching for her.
Mamay was recently brought to the Humane Society of Broward County as a stray. During intake, staff discovered she was microchipped, setting off a determined effort to track down her owner. After multiple calls, they were finally able to reach Kathleen, Mamay’s longtime owner.
When contacted by the Humane Society, Kathleen became emotional and shared a detail that helped confirm Mamay’s identity—a heart-shaped mark on the dog’s back. Staff verified the marking, confirming the match.
A Heartwarming Reunion
Kathleen, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment, later picked Mamay up from the shelter. According to the Humane Society, Mamay was also reunited with family members at home, including grandchildren who had missed her.
The Humane Society of Broward County says Mamay will now spend her remaining years at home with her family.
Why Microchips Matter
While exact numbers of microchipped pets in the U.S. vary, one analysis estimates that only about 5–8 percent of stray animals taken to shelters in the U.S. have microchips—though microchipping is becoming more common over time.
According to the AVMA, lost dogs with microchips are returned to their owners at a rate of about 52 percent, compared to about 22 percent for non-microchipped dogs.
For cats, about 38 percent of microchipped cats are reunited with their families, compared with less than 2 percent of non-microchipped cats.
The shelter is reminding pet owners that microchipping can play a critical role in reuniting lost pets with their families, even years after they go missing.
Microchipping is available at the Humane Society of Broward County clinic in Fort Lauderdale Monday through Saturday, with no appointment required, for $25 plus tax.
Mamay is not the only pet to be reunited thanks to a microchip. When one little dog went missing in Missouri, Stray Rescue of St. Louis managed to use the microchip to track him back to his owner.
When they called to let him know the pup had been found, his owner said: “I’m on my way to work but … oh my God I can’t even think about that right now. I’m on my way!”
Meanwhile in the U.K. a cat named Felix went missing in 2019, but six years later his family got a call they were never expecting—he had been found. Thanks to the microchip, he was reunited with his family.
His owners, delighted to have Felix back, said that he will now be on “strict house arrest,” which might take some adjustment after years spent outdoors.
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