Woman Goes to Animal Shelter to Adopt, Finds Beloved Pup Lost Two Years Ago

Animal Shelter

Whatever is meant for you will always find its way back no matter how long it takes. The story of one woman who went to the animal shelter to adopt but found her beloved pup lost two years ago proves this belief true. It was indeed shocking seeing that Aisha Nieves had already resigned herself to never seeing Kovu. Still, a parent never forgets her children, so she kept praying that wherever he was, he was not being mistreated. The rare incident has gone viral, and if you missed out on the details, read all about them here.

Kovu Gets Lost

In 2014, Nieves decided it was time to be a dog parent, so she headed to Lehigh County Humane Society (LCHS) to find a pet. As she told WMFZ-TV, from the moment she locked eyes with one 7-week-old pup, she knew she wanted him. So Nieves adopted the dog and named him Kovu later, a name borrowed from “Lion King” film because the pup got a scar above one eye after he got caught in a gate.

The love between the woman and the canine blossomed so much that Kovu would follow Nieves around, and she allowed him to sleep in her bed. He became her rock, helping her through her emotional turmoil over the years.

Unfortunately, the woman-dog love story was cut short suddenly in May 2019. Nieves, four months pregnant at the time, arrived at home, but Kovu did not run towards her to welcome her with kisses as was the routine.

She, therefore, searched for him throughout the house and compound, all the time crying because she thought that her beloved pet had been kidnapped, or worse, hurt. It dawned on her later that he might have been tempted to wander off through a hole that had been made two weeks earlier when a car crashed into Nieves’ front gate.

Trying to Get Kovu Back, Unsuccessfully

Nieves’ frantic efforts did not yield any fruits, but unaware to her, the dog all along was only a few miles away from her house. According to The Morning Call, the animal shelter staff had spotted Kovu on Eighth Street within Allentown and rescued him on June 12, 2019. He had inflammation, flea infestation, and missing hair on his hind legs.

They treated him and bathed him with medicated soap, getting him ready to be adopted and baptized him “Ash.” For four months, Kovu sat at the animal shelter, maybe wondering why his owner was not coming to get him. Unfortunately, by the time Nieves went to LCHS and showed them a picture of her pet, they said he had been adopted. A family had taken in “Ash” on October 25, 2019, and the adoption process finalized, so there was no way that Nieves was getting her dog back. She mourned the loss and could not bring herself to replace Kovu with another canine.

Finding His Way Back Where He Belongs

Some say that whatever does not work for you is working for you, and one dog can testify to this if only he could talk. Kovu had probably given up hope of reuniting with his owner, but things worked out for the best when the family that had adopted him returned him to the shelter. On June 12, 2021, that family feared they would be evicted thus returned “Ash” to LCHS, where he was accepted with open arms. Seeing that they had been treating the dog well despite their difficult financial circumstances, the shelter even waived the surrender fee.

As fate would have it, Nieves was ready to welcome another dog to her home as a playmate for her two young sons. So she browsed the LCHS website on June 18, 2021, where one particular dog caught her eye. According to the Animal Rescue Site, one tan Rottweiler Pit Bull mix resembled Kovu, but the dog in the picture was “Ash.” However, after seeing the distinguishing scar over his eye, she knew without a doubt that “Ash” was indeed Kovu.

Taking Kovu Back Home

Nieves immediately contacted the animal shelter, telling them that the dog on the site was her long-lost pet. Of course, she had to prove it with a photo of the two of them together, taken before he disappeared. She also needed her ID and the adoption fee, which Nieves happily submitted so she could take her fur baby home. Still, she was unsure Kovu would recognize, so she was nervous waiting for him to be brought to her. As published by The Hills, Nieves was shaking and sweating, afraid of rejection; after all, it had been two years since they last saw each other.

Strangely, when Nieves looked up and saw Kovu, they locked eyes, and immediately the dog wagged his tail. He got so excited that he wanted to break away from the man holding him.

Once released, Kovu ran towards Nieves and jumped on her. It was a sight to behold as the woman, and her canine hugged and kissed each other before he finally rested on his human’s lap. The shelter staff was surprised that the timid dog they had rescued was the one letting out the loudest squeal they had ever heard. It was like they had never lost contact, and Nieves could only say how much she loves him and how happy she was taking him back where he belongs.

Without him, a part of her was missing, and his return made her whole again. As for how he was able to recognize Nieves, it is most likely from her smell. Bark Post reveals that dogs have associative memory. The associative memory means that dog will associate smell, sound, or visual cues with known emotion or behavior. Therefore, probably from the locking of eyes with Nieves, Kovu associated the feeling that he was looking at a person who loved him to bits; hence he wagged his tail.

You can also read:

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.