Mississippi Dog Missing for 5 Years Located in DeLand

A missing dog from multiple states away was located in Volusia County this month. The small pup was found in a driveway in DeLand and taken to local animal services before being matched to an owner who lost her five years ago. The story began with Briana Rideout and Daniel Lenoci, when they saw a small, beige-colored dog in front of their home in DeLand last week. The dog appeared friendly, and so they allowed it to come inside. Rideout and Lenoci gave the dog food, water, and a resting place. Initially, the couple began posting flyers, going door to door, and making posts to social media in an attempt to track down the dog’s owner. All those methods couldn’t turn up an answer. Finally, the couple got in touch with Volusia County Animal Services. The organization agreed to look at the dog at their DeLand intake shelter clinic on East International Speedway Blvd. There, they scanned for a microchip. That scan revealed that the dog’s registered address was in Lucedale, Mississippi. Staff members with Volusia County Animal Services called Christy Taylor, a woman whose information was on file with the dog’s microchip. She was reportedly stunned that the dog had been found, with it having been over five years since she went missing. Taylor told staff that the dog’s name was Penny. She appeared to respond to this name immediately, despite half a decade having passed since she last heard it spoken. A tail wag and perking of the ears confirmed to staff that Penny still remembered her past life. Taylor booked a flight to Florida as quickly as she could, and was reunited with her beloved Penny at last. It turned out she had adopted Penny as a puppy and kept her for only a year before she vanished from the backyard one day. The two have already set off back to Mississippi, where Penny will get to meet the new dogs Taylor has adopted since their separation. “Every reunion like this reinforces why microchipping is so important,” said Volusia County Animal Services Director Angela Miedema. “We see time and again how this simple tool can turn heartbreak into joy — and that’s why we encourage every owner to make sure their pet is chipped and registered.”