Lost Dog Ziggy Reunited Despite 365-Mile Separation Thanks to Petco Love Lost

A Reunion Worth Waiting For 

When Surely and her beloved dog, Ziggy, traveled from Long Beach to visit family in Watsonville, California, no one imagined the trip would end in heartbreak. As a door was being opened to check on Ziggy, the sweet pup suddenly bolted out and vanished from sight. 

“I felt devastated and heartbroken—the worst feeling a dog parent could ever feel,” said Surely. “When Ziggy was missing all we could think about was how he was doing, where he was and if he was okay.” 

She and her family searched the area for days. Flyers went up, calls were made, and hope clung to every corner. But there was no sign of Ziggy—and home was a long 365 miles away. 

Holding on to Hope 

Even as days turned into weeks and then months—and Surely had returned to her home in Long Beach—she never gave up searching for Ziggy. She took her search online, uploading his photo to Petco Love Lost, Petco Love’s free national lost and found pet search that uses AI-powered photo-matching technology to reunite lost pets with their families. 

“I was so impressed with the photo-matches that Petco Love Lost was sending me,” she said. “A lot of the dogs that were matched with me really did look like Ziggy, and it made me more confident that if he appeared in a shelter, I would find him—and sure enough, I did.” 

A Photo. A Match. A Miracle. 

Five months after Ziggy disappeared—365 miles from home—Surely got the match alert she’d been waiting for. A dog resembling Ziggy had been found and taken to the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter, a Petco Love partner. 

Despite the distance, Surely contacted the shelter in Watsonville immediately. She confirmed what her heart already knew: it was Ziggy. 

Back Where He Belongs 

The reunion was nothing short of magical. “When I reunited with Ziggy, it was the most unimaginable feeling that I could have ever felt,” Surely said.  

Your Photo Change Everything 

Surely’s story is just one of nearly 120,000 reunions made possible through Petco Love Lost. Whether you’ve found a lost pet or are searching for your own, Petco Love Lost is a powerful tool that makes all the difference—with just one photo. 

Be the reason lost pets like Ziggy return home. Register your pet today so you're one click away from finding them if they go missing tomorrow. 

And if you find a lost pet, upload their photo to Petco Love Lost to help them have a happy reunion just like Ziggy and Surely.