Our world would crumble if we lost our pets.

For some people, pets are just pets; they see them as mere animals.

But for pet lovers like you and me, our pets are part of the family; thus, the pain of losing them is beyond imaginable.

Therefore, we always ensure their safety and never lose them in our sight.

However, there would be times when they wander off and get lost.

When the time comes, we don’t know what to do. We push the panic button and try our best to find them, like extending whatever search and rescue effort we have to others.

This involves calling shelters, vet clinics, neighbors—anything to get them back.

Marisa Martínez was heartbroken when she lost her dog, Rufus.

Rufus was her five-year-old Blue Heeler (Australian Cattle Dog), who was also deaf.

She got him as a gift from a friend in Albuquerque as a “healing gift” a few days after she lost her nine-year-old daughter, Zamora Moon, to a rare form of brain cancer.

Rufus was a welcome gift for Marisa, who treated him like a son.

He helped her heal and move forward from her loss and, in the process, helped her restore her faith and hope.

But all that was tested when she realized she had lost her dear dog.

Marisa said that someone forgot to latch the gate to her yard, and probably Rufus went off.

It was an extra challenge to find him because he was deaf and obviously wouldn’t answer any call of his name.

At that moment, she felt like her wounds had opened again.

She asked for the help of Team Frijoles Lost Pet Recovery in Santa Fe.

The organization is known in the area as they track and trap lost pets and return them to their owners.

Months passed, and still no sign of Rufus.

According to Team Frijoles, they would get messages about sightings of the lost dog, but they could never get any verified information.

The biggest miracle came eleven months after they got the first verified link to Rufus.

Arabel Solis was riding his dirt bike near the animal shelter when he saw a dog that needed some help.

He took a photo and sent it to Team Frijoles, who he knew could help the dog reunite with his owner.

Team Frijoles recognized the dog as Rufus and went on to trap and rescue him.

At that time, Marisa was in Spain visiting her father when she scrolled through the team’s page and saw a familiar face.

She learned through that post that they brought Rufus to Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society, so she immediately went home to reunite with him.

Marisa arrived in the shelter waiting for Rufus to go out and hoping he would recognize her.

He hesitated a bit when he saw her, but she made a sign language that seemed to spark a memory in him.

He ran to her, and his body language said it all, the tail wags and the invitation of a belly rub!

Marisa and Rufus walked out those doors, happy to be reunited – thanks to Team Frijoles and Santa Fe’s Animal Shelter.

Watch the heartwarming reunion of Marisa and Rufus in the video below!

Source: KRQE YouTube Channel, Santa Fe New Mexican, Team Frijoles Lost Pet Rescue Facebook Page