Having a dog get lost is devastating. The pain of not knowing if a beloved pet is safe or where it might be rips at the heart. As hours, days, and weeks pass, one begins to wonder if they will ever see their furry best friend again.Such was the situation for this Michigan family. One evening, their little black pug, Piper, went out to go potty and didn’t return when called. They looked everywhere but couldn’t find their sweet little dog.

The dog had been a very special 12th birthday present for their son, Carter. Carter was heartbroken that his best friend was missing. From the time he was a small child, Carter had wanted another black pug. As a younger child, he had loved a previous black pug named Oliver. Sadly, Oliver had to go live with another family after Carter’s baby brother became sick.

Two and a half long weeks passed and the devastated family was beginning to lose hope. That is, until one Monday, when hope was restored by the ringing of a phone. The Genesee County Animal Shelter was on the line and told Carter’s mother that a pug resembling Piper had been found and taken to the shelter! Hoping against hope that it was really Piper, Carter’s mom went to pick up the little dog.

Happily, it was Piper and Carter’s mom knew she wanted to surprise her son. She drove to his school to pick him up with Piper in the car. In the video, Carter is seen walking out of school toward the car when he suddenly notices Piper, decorated in bows like a Christmas present, is looking out the window. Carter looks stunned then the tears start to flow. Speechless, he gets into the car and snuggles up with a wiggling and wagging Piper. Obviously, he is overcome with love for his dog.

The family is very thankful for their Christmas miracle and to everyone who helped bring Piper home. In their words:

“On November 18, we let our pug, Piper, out to go potty, and she didn’t come back when we called her. It had been a long two and a half weeks for my oldest two children, Carter and Natalie, thinking they would never see their puppy again. Piper was a very special gift for Carter’s 12th birthday: he had always wanted a black pug since he spent his baby years with another pug he loved very much -Oliver- who had to go live with another family while his baby brother was sick. We posted and shared and talked to neighbors, news venues, and community groups but as the days passed, our hope waned.

But then, amazingly we got a message this Monday night that a dog that looked like Piper had been picked up and taken to the animal shelter. I was truly shocked. We had all resigned ourselves to the reality that she probably wouldn’t come back. Lo and behold, it was her! Seeing her little tail wag as she came out from the back of the Genesee County Animal Shelter where she had been so well taken care of, I lost it!! Carter and Natalie were out of town for a few days with their dad’s family, and so I hoped to make their reunions special. This video is no doubt the embodiment of that! It’s so amazing to see the love, and honestly the video says more than any words I could write. My son loves his dog so much, was sick while she was gone, and tonight she’s sleeping next to him again. What a Christmas miracle for our family and thank you to everyone who helped bring Piper home.”