A Chicago man recently threw a "welcome home" party for his dog after reuniting with him after 10 years apart.
"I'm lucky to have him," Edmon Lighthall told ABC News of his dog Peter, a poodle-doodle mix.
Lighthall's family and friends gathered at a park to meet with and play with Peter, showering him with attention.
"We went to the park, we did a picnic, we introduced him to his sister [dog] and a couple of other pooches from different family and friends," Lighthall said of the afternoon gathering. "It was just a great experience."
Lighthall's dog Peter went missing from his family's backyard a decade ago. Then, two weeks ago, the 51-year-old father of two received a text message from a pet microchip registry company informing him Peter's microchip had been scanned and he had been found.
"I immediately called the number, and I got in touch with Laney from Hammond Animal Control, and she explained to me that the police found Pete walking down the street," said Lighthall.
The next day, on Sept. 23, Lighthall said he drove 45 minutes from his home in Chicago to Hammond, Indiana, and laid eyes on his beloved Pete again.
"It was absolutely unbelievable. I saw Pete. He came out, he greeted me, and it was almost immediate. I felt like he recognized me immediately," Lighthall said, later sharing a TikTok video of their reunion.
"He did his little greeting … he spins around and then he kind of lays in front of you. And I thought, 'No way.' I mean, it's the same dog."
For years, Lighthall said he never forgot about Pete, whom he described as "his shadow," and was convinced they would meet again.
"I'd say [to friends], 'I think if he's alive, I'm sure that I'll see him again,'" Lighthall said. "I'd say things like that and people would laugh and kind of just go along with me."
Now that the duo are back together, Lighthall says he's "extraordinarily shocked" about it all, but at the same time, he's also not surprised.
"I just felt deeply, a lot, for a long time, that we were inseparable in some way, and somehow this worked out," he said.
Lighthall said Peter is now about 14 or 15 years old and has slowed down with age, but he occasionally has bursts of "puppy energy."
Hammond Police Department, which oversees Hammond Animal Control, and Lighthall said they hope others will realize the importance of microchipping pets after hearing about Peter's journey home.
"This story is a perfect example of why microchipping works," a Hammond Police Department spokesperson said in a statement. "Even after ten years, this little guy was reunited with his family thanks to that tiny chip."
The city of Hammond also offers free microchipping for all residents' pets.
"It's quick, painless, and it can make the difference between a lost pet and a happy reunion," the spokesperson added.
