Losing your best friend is one of the most painful things one can endure.

In the United States alone, approximately 10 million pets go missing. Only 15 percent of these dogs and 2 percent of cats without IDs get successfully reunited with their owners.

Not everyone is as fortunate. But sometimes, there are kind people around who will make these reunions are reality.

Leandro, an 11-year-old boy from Brazil, never thought he had to endure the nightmare.

In an instant, his life was in pieces when his dog Mili was missing. The family immediately commenced a search, but despite their earnest efforts, they never found the dog.

One can only imagine the sadness and anxiety the boy had to go through. He knows his best friend is out there, but he doesn’t know if she will ever come back.

Around the same time they were looking, a firefighter saw a dog on the street.

The man, Juninho Giugni, noticed that the dog was all alone. Upon inspection, he concluded that the dog was lost as it was wearing a clean sweater which set her apart from stray dogs.

He then decided to take the dog under his care, at least until he finds the owners. He knew that somewhere out there, someone was looking for a lost dog.

As he asked around, he found out about Leandro and his family.

According to the information he got, a family was looking for a dog that fit the rescued dog’s description. He then tracked the family down so that Leandro can be reunited with his dog Mili.

Giugni drove to the family’s home, to which an anxious yet excited Leandro was waiting for him. Will he finally get to see his best friend once again?

The emotional reunion was caught on tape.

Leandro was sitting on the side of the road when a government pickup truck approached him. The kid must’ve been waiting eagerly because once he saw the vehicle, he quickly jumped on his feet.

Then, as the truck stopped in front of him, the boy saw and confirmed that it was indeed Mili in the vehicle.

The boy can’t help but cry.

He hugged Mili tightly and was crying his heart out. The man with Guigni comforted the boy while the firefighter accepted the family’s thanks.

“When we arrived, he was crying tears of relief,” Giugni told The Dodo. “Their reunion was magical.” Guigni also said that according to Leandro, he saved the family.

Guigni also shared with the animal channel that saving animals isn’t new to him. He often rescues lost or distressed pets, but fortunately, this time, he got to witness a heartwarming reunion.

As for pet owners, there are ways for you to avoid losing your beloved pet.

One of the most obvious preventive measures is to have a pet chip that contains their information and a collar with contact details.

Other experts also recommend that you omit one identifying characteristic of your dog so you can quiz scammers who are claiming they found your pet. Always leave your doors closed and have someone else watch your dog if you’re unavailable.

Watch this emotional reunion of a boy and his dog after he thought she was lost forever.

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Source: Facebook – Tribuna de Jundiaí, Humane Society, The Dodo, American Humane