Shelter Dog Meal Donation Count:

Learn More

Senior Chihuahua Disappeared Three Years Ago, Now She’s Home For Christmas

Written by: Kelli Brinegar
For more than five years, Kelli Brinegar has been using her ability to write and her passion for research to tell the tale of what cats are thinking and why. She has provided care to more than 30 cats in her lifetime.Read more
| Published on December 16, 2022

Delilah, the Chihuahua has been missing from her Vancouver home for three years after going missing from her backyard. But the magic of Christmas has delivered something special for the tiny 13-year-old lady. She’s been reunited with her family just in time for the holidays!

And the Kleiner family couldn’t be happier to have their senior pup back in their arms. And while Delilah has some recovering to do after her ordeal, she’s delighted to be there and expecting a ton of Christmas presents beneath the tree.

Facebook

A Good Memory Leads To Reunion

Three years ago in March, dog mom Mary Kleiner took to Facebook in search of Delilah after she disappeared. The worried paw parent also contacted BC SPCA, alerting the animal rescue in case her sweet “little cow” pup turned up there. But months, then years passed, with no sign of Delilah.

“We told the kids that,” shared Mary, a Vancouver realtor. “We said, you know what, we lost her. Maybe she’ll come home, but if she doesn’t, maybe she needed someone more than we did during this time.”

Facebook

But a reunion between pup and family was put into motion when a Trail Appliances employee looked out the window and spotted a box with something in it just days ago.

Emma Michel, BC SPCA Richmond branch’s assistant manager, explained, “She thought it was like a rabbit, and it looked like it was struggling.”

RELATED: Lost Dog Reports Herself Missing At Local Police Station

Seeing it was a sick Chihuahua, the employee contacted the Richmond branch of the BC SPCA. And when Delilah arrived in their care, she was in bad shape. It was good the kind soul found her when she did.

Facebook

“The poor little thing was in horrible condition,” said Emma. “She was emaciated, dehydrated, she appeared to be partially deaf and blind, she had no teeth, she had suspected frostbite on the ears, and she was anemic.”

Facebook

Posting about the sick little Chi on Facebook, the BC SPCA asked followers to contact them if anyone had any information. And seeing the pictures of Delilah, one of the rescue’s followers recalled seeing her face before.

“Someone saw our post and remembered that a woman named Mary Kleiner and her family had been looking for their lost Chihuahua nearly three years ago,” Emma explained. “When we got an email from Mary saying that the dog in our care might be hers, we were in shock.”

Home Again

After verifying this pup was Mary’s missing Delilah, a reunion was quickly arranged. The staff and volunteers were “thrilled” to be part of the reunion, reporting, “Our whole team was there for the reunion and there were a lot of tears.”

Mary said of having Delilah home again, “It’s just a miracle.”

“It feels like she’s been here the whole time. It’s crazy.”

Photo: Richmond News

Delilah will need time to recover from her time lost, and while the Kleiner’s are taking it “hour by hour” to help her heal, they’re all just happy to be together this Christmas.

RELATED: Dad Found Missing Dog On The Streets After 3-Yrs, Had The ‘Sweetest’ Reunion

Feature Image: BC SPCA/Facebook