Kerry Smith, a photojournalist at NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, was recently reunited with his 12-year-old pup, Jazzy, nearly seven years after she ran away.
Jazzy went missing after she was scared by Independence Day fireworks, Smith said.
"She could jump over the moon if she wanted to, and she did just that on July 3rd. I haven’t seen her since," Smith wrote in a Facebook post.
Then 5 years old, the Australian Shepherd was microchipped, which kept some form of hope alive for the Smith family.
"I have always wondered if she was happy and being cared for," Smith wrote.
On Dec. 4, Smith received the call he had been waiting for. Jazzy had been found, in Orlando, Florida, of all places. She was discovered by Orange County Animal Services in an abandoned hotel room.
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
Now 12, Jazzy could barely walk and now has an advanced case of arthritis. Still, she remained extremely sweet and gentle, the adoption center said in a Facebook post.
After receiving the call that his dog was found, Smith jumped on a plane from Texas to Florida a few days later and was reunited with his furry friend. Even after all these years, Jazzy still remembered Smith and greeted him with licks and moved as close to him as much as she could.
Animal Stories
Smith drove Jazzy back home to Texas over the weekend and looks forward to making the rest of her life comfortable.
"If I can make her end-of-life experience happier, that will be wonderful for both of us," Smith said.
Welcome home, Jazzy!
