Lost Dog Reunited With Owners After 9 Years

GOLDEN, Colo. (CBS4)- A happy ending for a lost dog and his owners: "Boozer" the boxer was reunited on Saturday with his family after he went missing nearly a decade ago.

"It's like getting a member of the family back," said Boozer's owner Lloyd Goldston.

Boozer showed up at the Foothills Animal Shelter in Golden and a microchip scan identified the lost dog.

Boozer went missing from his family's home in Tennessee in 2006. He was picked up by another family who kept him for nine years. When they moved to Colorado their new place didn't allow dogs so they brought him to the animal shelter.

Goldston's daughter was 15 years old when she returned home from school and found an empty backyard.

"It was shattering," said Boozer's owner Megan Marr. "I didn't ever expect to see him again."

"We didn't know if he was going to be mistreated," said Goldston. "So it was really tough, very tough. And despite that we never forgot about him."

Once Boozer was brought into the shelter his microchip was scanned and Goldston was contacted. The family packed up for a cross-country trip to get their dog back.

Foothills Animal Shelter spokeswoman Jennifer Strickland said the emotional reunion is all thanks to the microchip.

"We cannot emphasize to people enough to make sure there is permanent identification such as a microchip with your pet but also a collar and tags and a pet license," said Strickland.

"Whatever he's got left, however many years he has left, it's just going to be filled with love and family and fun. And you know, he's home," said Goldston.