Dan Kesler was living in Raleigh, North Carolina when his doberman, B.A., was spooked by the storm and ran away from home.

Kesler figured his dog would quickly return to the house - but he never did.

'The first night I spent outside waiting for him to come back,' Kesler told WRAL.

Years went by without any sign of B.A. Eventually, Kesler moved 2,000 miles away to Phoenix.

Then he got a phone call he never expected, WRAL reported. B.A. had been found in Durham, North Carolina, not far from the city where he first disappeared.

The reunion was made possible after the dog, who had been injured, was brought into the Animal Protection Society's shelter in Durham last month.

'He was favouring one of his legs, and our veterinarian thought he may have been in an accident,' APS shelter director Shafonda Davis said.

Staff discovered a microchip, a device placed under the skin to help identify animals, and used the information to contact the owner.


'Did I think I would get him back? I can't say yes, but I never gave up hope,' Kesler said.

B.A. was flown out to Arizona to be reunited with Kesler.

And even after seven years, the dog still remembers his owner.

'There were little commands that he knew were me, that he remembered and picked up on,' Kesler said.

'There was some angel watching after this dog for seven years,' said a vet who found the chip.
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