An English Bulldog known as Azzurra Diamante went missing at the worst possible time. In 2016, when her human was going through cancer treatment, the pup disappeared. Jen Costa made an amazing recovery, but it wasn’t the same without her furry friend to support her.
Five years passed, and Costa had given up hope that Azzurra would return. Her other dog named Bruno passed away from cancer last summer, so she brought home a French Bulldog named Pancake not long after. But that didn’t stop the New York resident from wondering what happened to sweet Azzurra. To her surprise, she was about to get some answers.
The Adventure of a Lifetime
When Abbie Bayless moved into a new apartment in Tennessee, she was surprised to find a Bulldog waiting outside. When given the chance, the dog walked right into her apartment and made herself comfortable. She was in rough shape, so Bayless wondered where the dog came from and what she’d been through.
Bayless and her roommate cared for the pup for a while, but they knew they couldn’t keep her. They already had another dog in their home, and they weren’t ready to adopt another one. So, Bayless contacted a family friend at Henderson Animal Control for help.
“We were more than happy to foster her until we could find her somewhere to go. But she was definitely a busybody—and she kept escaping, and we live right in the middle of town, so we were a little concerned about that,” Bayless said.
At the shelter, they were able to scan her for a microchip. To their surprise, the dog’s microchip connected them to a woman in New York. The Bulldog was Azzurra, who was 1,000 miles away after five years missing.
A Reunion Worth Waiting For
When the shelter contacted Costa, she thought it was a joke at first. But she knew she couldn’t ignore a miracle like that. So, she found a way to travel to the Tennessee town to reunite with her long-lost dog. Costa had finished her cancer treatment and lost a lot of weight while Azzurra was away, but of course, the pup still recognized her human.
“I’m a stage four cancer survivor,” Costa said. “They had to do a 19-hour operation to remove my entire tongue.”
Azzurra acted like no time had passed since she last saw Costa. She also immediately bonded with Costa’s new dog named Pancake. Costa joked that Pancake seems to think his family adopted Azzurra just for him. The two dogs share the cutest bond ever.
Costa is overjoyed to have Azzurra back in her life. All those years of waiting and wondering were worth it for the joy that she feels now. Not only is Costa a loyal dog parent, but she also runs a community for cancer survivors called Strongheart Nation. She wants to make sure all people and dogs receive the love and support they need in life.
H/T: jacksonsun.com
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via Whisker Therapy