Jodi Chamlee adopted her beloved pit bull, Gucci, from a rescue shelter in Georgia.
She saved her with the mission to give her a better life. Gucci had endured a rough upbringing and Jodi vowed to never let that happen again.
But a cruel twist of fate separated Jodi from her pet during a move from Georgia to Tennessee. The family was heartbroken. And even though Gucci was getting older they never gave up searching for her. They never gave up hope.
Miraculously, four years later, they found 15-year-old Gucci on the street in Philadelphia.
Her owners couldn’t believe it. She had turned up more than 800 miles from home.
She was rescued by Marvin and Jessica Graaf, who work for the Philly Bully Team, a subset of the Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia (ACCT).
They could tell that she had lived a tough four years, she was found in very bad condition and needed medical care.
“I’m a sucker for old dogs, so I said let’s pick this dog up and get her to the hospital right away.” – Jessica Graaf
Gucci (or, Sally, as the rescue team had named her) was quickly treated for arthritis, and both ear and skin infections.
ACCT Philly shared a post to social media about Gucci, and through the magic of the internet, it reached a Jodi Chamlee.
First, her friend came across the post and knew Jodi was still hoping to find her dog one day. She couldn’t be sure it was Gucci in the photo, and it seemed so unlikely that she could have made it that far from home, but she commented anyway.
She let ACCT know that Jodi had lost a pitt bull four years earlier while moving from Georgia to Tennessee.
“I mean, obviously at first, I was like, there’s no way.” – Marvin Graaf
It was a miracle, but after four years, they would finally be reunited.
Jodi Chamlee, her husband and two daughters immediately hopped in their car and drove 800 miles from Georgia to Philadelphia to get to their fur baby.
“I couldn’t wait anymore. I couldn’t bear the thought of her thinking that mama wasn’t going to come for her.” – Jodi Chamlee
She wept while recounting the story to CBS Philly, saying she never gave up hope of finding Gucci again.
“I promised her the day that I rescued her she would not have to go through any more pain, and I only broke half of that promise. The family is finally back together, it has not been the same.” – Jodi Chamlee
Against all odds, this family was reunited.
There are no words to truly describe how thankful Jodi is to there two animal rescuers.
Their big hearts and dedication to their jobs allows families like Jodi’s to be reunited with their pets again. And for stray dogs without a home to find one.
Gucci is finally able to enjoy the rest of her life with people who love her, and will surely never let her out of their sight again!
This pup is a truly a survivor, and it’s beautiful that her family never gave up hope.
Watch the video below to see Jodi finally reunited with Gucci. Get your tissues ready!
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