Arizona dog owner reunited with his beloved pet 8 years after he went missing in Oklahoma
Paul Guilbeault recently experienced a heartwarming reunion with his miniature pinscher, Damian, after eight long years apart.
In 2017, while moving from Massachusetts to Arizona, Damian slipped off his leash during a pit stop near Oklahoma City and vanished.
"We searched up until it got dark enough to where my dad forced us to stop searching," .
Despite the challenges, he never lost hope.
For years, he posted on social media, holding onto the slim chance that Damian might return.
"Even in the darkest moments, you just never give up hope," he said.
Two weeks ago, that hope turned into reality.
While driving to California with clothes for wildfire survivors, Guilbeault received a call from an unknown number.
"They left a message and my Apple Watch sent it through as a preview, 'Your dog Damian has been found.' And I'm like, oh my God, this has to be a scam," he recalled.
But it wasn’t a scam.
Damian had been found by Donna Bentley, who nearly hit him as he darted across the road.
"He turned to me when I picked him up. He was screaming and tried to bite me, but I wasn't going to put him down," Bentley said.
Despite his rough appearance, Damian seemed healthy.
Bentley's brother, Rick, took him to the vet, where a simple question changed everything.
"Can you scan this little guy for a chip?" he asked.
Paul's information popped up, prompting him to change course from Los Angeles to Oklahoma City.
After a 14-hour drive, he arrived for a moment of pure joy when Damian recognized him immediately.
"They say unconditional love, uh, there it is," Rick Bentley said.
While their bond remained strong, Damian's appearance made it clear to Guilbeault how many years had gone by.
"Not until when I got in front of them that I realized how much of an old man he had become," Guilbeault said.
Thanks to two strangers and a little luck, Paul and Damian are now making up for lost time.