Man reunited with dog EIGHT years after pet goes missing

A man has revealed the heartwarming moment he unexpectedly reunited with this lost pooch after eight years apart.

Paul Guilbeault, 43, lost his dog while in the process of moving house.

Devastated by the disappearance of his Miniature Pinscher, Damian, who was five at the time, he spent years sharing photos online in the hopes someone would find him.

On 15 January 2025, over eight years since he went missing, Paul got a phone call from an unknown number.

And he got the news he had been dreaming about, reports What’s The Jam.

*Paul with his dog, Damien, before he got lost in 2016. (Jam Press/@paulguilbeault)*

In a social media post, racking up 9,418 views and 507 likes, the photographer says: “So this is going to sound crazy and straight out of some movie, but I promise you this is a true story that’s easy to prove.

“Eight long years ago, while moving back to Arizona from Massachusetts, I lost my dog I had at the time.

“Devastated, we extended the trip to look for him, but with no luck, we continued on.

*The sign used to find Damien when he went missing. (Jam Press/@paulguilbeault)*

“Fast forward eight years – yes that’s right – my husband stocked the car full of clothes and supplies to send to California to help people affected by the crazy tragedy of the fires.

“I get a bunch of calls I sent to voicemail because I’m driving, then a text comes in from AKC (he’s microchipped through them) and someone found my freaking dog.

“He’s a total old man puppy with a Dad bod so we relate pretty well still.

*The message Paul got saying his dog Damien was found after going missing for eight years. (Jam Press/@paulguilbeault)*

“My math puts him at 12 or 13 years old now.

“Life is just crazy, I feel so blessed.”

Paul lost Damian back in 2017.

He had taken a stop near Oklahoma City to walk Damian when something spooked the pooch and he ran away.

Despite searching high and low, there was no luck.

*Paul with his husband, his son and Damien, before he got lost in 2017. (Jam Press/@paulguilbeault)*

As the feeling of hope faded, he feared the worst.

But then he got the aforementioned text – which read: “Your dog, Damian, has been found” – and now, the rest is history.

Paul and his husband took the 14-hour trip from California to Oklahoma and met with Donna Bently, who took Damian in, after nearly hitting him with her car.

*Paul with his dog, Damien, after he was found. (Jam Press/@paulguilbeault)*

He was located around 30 miles from where he went missing.

Vets scanned the pup for a microchip, which provided them with Paul’s contact details.

Since being reunited, Paul has shared numerous photos with Damian – all smiles in every single photo – and is currently raising funds for needed dental work and x-rays.