Reunited eight years after (Video)

Joshua Edwards was the proud owner of Duke, a lovable young rottweiler. One day, he left Duke in the yard by himself for only a short time and when he came back, there was no sign of the dog. He’d really loved the little rottie and was determined to find him. After eight long years of searching to no avail, he was giving up hope that he’d ever be reunited with Duke. Edwards in the meantime had became a dog trainer. He is now married and has two sons. The family has three dogs: Minnie, a Dachshund, Duke Jr., a Rottweiler, and Blackie, a Shepherd-Rottweiler mix. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect what came next.

But last week, something incredible happened. A woman spotted the now 9-year-old, 120-pound dog wandering the streets. She dedicated herself to finding Duke’s owner. Then Edwards got a miraculous phone call: a pet chip company said someone had found Duke. The good samaritan found the dog and took him to the Tamiami Animal Hospital in Miami where they found he was chipped. At long last, Edwards and Duke were reunited. It was emotional for both of them, Edwards shedding some tears and Duke getting increasingly excited, licking his long lost dad’s face and then demanding belly rubs. “But it’s definitely him,” he said, pointing out a skin flap near his nose. “He is definitely the same goofball. You’re still a goofball!”

Emotional reunion

Edwards told a reporter from the Miami Herald, “The anticipation of one moment; that’s a lot of build-up. To see him walk out the door and just immediately go back to being the puppy I remembered, I never thought that would be possible. I have my dog back. I’m so grateful.” The good Samaritan who found Duke was Maria Elena Cartaya and she summed it up nicely: “I have animals and if I lost one or if one was stolen, I’d be devastated. And to find them after so many years. I mean, it’s awesome.” Watch the video of this touching moment!