In February, Katie Boada received a surprising voicemail while she was at work: Sparkles, her dog who went missing in 2014, had been located. Understandably, she was skeptical.
“I thought it was fraud,” Boada told The Dodo.
But the message was real. A woman
had found Sparkles, a 17-year-old Pomeranian, wandering the streets of Broward County, Florida. After researching no-kill shelters in the area, the Good Samaritan took the pup to Abandoned Pet Rescue in Fort Lauderdale.
“She knew senior dogs are very high-risk of being put down at other places,” Kara Starzyk, the shelter’s executive director, told The Dodo. “She wanted to make sure she’d be going somewhere safe.”
Once Sparkles arrived at the shelter, the staff scanned her for a microchip — and found one. Starzyk contacted the microchip company to track down the dog’s family, which is how she got in touch with Boada. Now the question was: Did she want her dog back?
“You never know where somebody’s life is going to be after that long of a time,” Starzyk said. “Are they in a place to take the dog back? It’s hard to know.”
Without hesitation, Boada’s answer was a resounding yes: “I was heartbroken when she went missing, and I’ve been heartbroken ever since,” Boada said. “I’ve longed for this day. She was coming home.”
Sparkles was found in Miramar, Florida, which is where she previously lived with Boada and her family 12 years ago. Boada believes the pup was taken from her yard.
When Sparkles went missing, Boada reported it to the pup’s microchip company and veterinarian. She searched for her around the neighborhood and posted flyers. After all these years, she still thought of the pup.
“I always had Sparkles in the back of my head,” she said. Boada remembers her as being smart and energetic. She liked showing off tricks and lounging on a chair outside as she watched people pass by. She was a part of Boada’s family for five years.
Boada now lives in Miami, which is about 45 minutes away from Abandoned Pet Rescue. Since she was at work when she received the call from Starzyk, she sent her daughter, Katelyn, who was 12 years old when Sparkles disappeared, to pick up the pup.
You can watch Sparkles’ emotional homecoming here:
“It was a really special moment,” Starzyk said. “You can easily see that this family was loving and compassionate. It was a huge relief to know that she’s going to be well cared for.”
Even after 12 years apart, Sparkles felt right at home.
“When she saw me, it was like she felt comfortable,” Boada said. “You could tell she wasn’t hesitant; she wasn’t nervous. She picked up right where we left off.”
However, the pup was in rough shape. She was malnourished. Her teeth were in poor condition, and she had severe cataracts. “It was to the point that it was more than visible that she never went to the vet,” Boada said.
After taking the pup for a checkup, she found out that Sparkles has anemia and Stage 3 kidney failure. Boada gives her IV fluids and iron supplements every day.
She doesn’t mind the complications of taking care of a senior pup. “When I took her in, I took the bad and the good,” Boada said. “All I want to do is to be able to give her love because you could tell that she was not loved where she was at.”
Boada’s efforts seem to be working. A recent vet visit revealed that Sparkles’ kidneys are doing better. However, Boada knows that the pup is old and doesn’t have much time left. “I’m going to give it my all to keep her as comfortable as I can,” she said.
These days, Sparkles enjoys trips to the store and cuddling on the couch with Boada. She follows her wherever she goes.
“We had a special bond before, and I think we have a special bond now,” Boada said. “She brings me so much happiness.”
