A 12-year-old beagle who was found hundreds of miles away from her original home shared an emotional reunion with her late owner’s son after 10 YEARS apart.
Chris Becker, 59, from Sykesville, Maryland, had not seen beagle Rosie after he lost contact with her following his father Thomas’ passing.
The last Chris knew, Rosie was living with Thomas’ girlfriend, but recently he received a call from iHeart Animal Rescue, in Florida, asking if he knew a Thomas Becker.
When Chris said that was his father, the rescue then informed him that they had Rosie and were looking to track down her family, so Chris asked for some photos to be sent across for him to check out.
Rosie looked older and grayer, Chris said, but he immediately knew it was her.
Cindy Mucciaccio, the rescue center’s president, said the person who surrendered Rosie told them they could no longer take care of the senior dog, and that Rosie was given to them by a friend.
As someone who gives a home to senior dogs, Chris had no hesitation in traveling down to Florida to collect his dad’s dog.
Chris arrived at the meeting spot Cool Cuts, a dog grooming center in Pompano Beach, Florida, on July 11, where he walked through the door and saw Rosie sitting on a chair.
He then headed in for a reunion hug, and Rosie then lay cuddling him as the pair spent time bonding.
Before heading back Maryland, Chris then sealed an even happier ending for Rosie.
After he was informed she had befriended another rescue dog, Storm, during her time in Florida, Chris decided to adopt Storm, too, driving the pair back together.
Since then, Rosie and Storm, a terrier mix, have enjoyed spending time at the family’s home together – and Chris has enjoyed having a link back to his father and building a bond with Rosie once more.
Chris said: “Dad and I were very close.
“He was also very much an animal person, and we grew up with dogs all my life.
“He probably would not have been surprised that I drove down to collect Rosie, but I think he would have been proud, and I think he really would have appreciated me doing that for both Rosie’s sake and his sake if he was still here.
“It’s brought back a lot of memories.
“In fact, I was looking back at the old photos of Rosie, and I spent a lot of time looking at pictures, not of just Rosie, but of my dad too.
“So, it has been emotional.”
