Missing Dog Reunited With Owner After 3 Years Couldn't Stop 'Jumping And Wiggling'

Allen Williams got the happy surprise of his life last weekend, when a Missouri animal shelter called to tell him to come get his dog, Titan, who'd vanished from his yard about three years ago.

"It was pretty crazy," says Williams. "After all this time I'd given up."

As you can see from this photo, which the Kansas City Pet Project posted to Facebook, Titan was clearly excited for the reunion as well.

Titan and Williams, reunited at the shelter. Photo credit: Kansas City Pet Project

"Our staff said that Titan saw his owner and immediately started jumping and wiggling. It took a very long time to get their picture because Titan was wiggling so much," shelter representative Tori Fugate says.

Williams got Titan as a gorgeous, rambunctious puppy about five years ago. He was a gift from his then-girlfriend.

Titan was about 2 years old when he somehow got out of Williams' fenced backyard in Independence, Missouri, along with his daughter's German shepherd.

His dog was microchipped, though, and Williams -- who runs a small appliance sales service -- called around the local shelters and vets' offices, with no luck. He finally came to the conclusion that Titan must have been picked up by someone who'd decided to keep him.

"I always thought he was still alive," he says.

Titan was alive, indeed, and as it turned out, he was still playing the role of canine Harry Houdini.

Late last week, a family turned up at the Kansas City Pet Project with a now-middle-aged Doberman they were calling Cocoa.

"The people who surrendered Titan to our shelter said that he kept escaping their home and they didn’t have a fence," says Fugate. "They felt like they couldn’t handle him anymore so they made arrangements to bring him to our shelter for us to find him a new home."

The shelter checked for a microchip and found one that had migrated away from its original location and traveled down into Titan's leg. The chip was still registered to Williams, who then got an unexpected phone call.

"I was so surprised by the call," says Williams. "Nothing I expected after all this time."

"We made arrangements for him to come get him the next day," Fugate says. "It is thrilling to be able to reunite lost pets with their owners. This is definitely one of our happiest stories and we were so happy to bring the pair back together."

Titan in the car on his way back home. Photo credit: Allen Williams

There've been some changes in the last few years, of course. Titan is now older and bigger. And while his daughter's German shepherd is still at large, a couple of new dogs have moved into the house, where, Williams promises, a tall, locked fence keeps them from roaming.

Titan seems to be taking his old life in stride, Williams says. And so, after this ecstatic reunion, and peaceful settling-back-in period, Williams is optimistic that love, and a secure perimeter, will keep Titan safely at home this time around.

"So far he's been pretty good," he says. "Hopefully he's not an escape artist. Only time will tell, you know?"

Stay, Titan! Photo credit: Allen Williams

Head over to the Kansas City Pet Project's Facebook page for information about the many, many animals this open access, no-kill shelter has available for adoption.

Get in touch at arin.greenwood@huffingtonpost.com if you have an animal story to share!

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