Dog that was lost in California last July appears in Michigan, more than 3,000 km away

A dog that went missing in California last summer turned up more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) away in suburban Detroit.

Harper Woods police responded last week to a report of a stray dog, trapped the animal — a terrier mix — and contacted an animal welfare group.

The Grosse Point Animal Adoption Society soon realized that the dog, named Mishka, had been implanted with an identity chip with her owners' information.

Mehrad Houman and his family live in San Diego, but were planning to travel to Minnesota when they got the call. He landed there and then drove about 10 hours to Michigan to meet with Mishka, the group said in a Facebook post accompanied by photos and video.

“This is the Hollywood story we love to tell,” the group noted.

Mishka had walked away from Houman's workplace, a machine shop, last July and never returned. His necklace had the family's phone number.

“We believe she was stolen, sold and ended up in Michigan,” said Corinne Martin, director of the animal welfare group.

Houman's wife, Elizabeth, said “it's been an incredible journey.”

“I never gave up,” she declared Thursday. “I handed out more than 1,000 flyers. I had one in the back of my car. He wore her leash whenever he went out to look for her. Now I just want to find out how he got to Michigan.”

Veterinarian Nancy Pillsbury examined the 3-year-old dog, vaccinated her against rabies and released her to return home to California.

“She was clean, well fed. Whoever she had her, she took good care of her,” Pillsbury told The Associated Press. “How did she get here? Only Mishka knows that story.”

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