DELAND, Fla. – A Mississippi dog that went missing five years ago has been reunited with her owner after being found nearly 400 miles away in Central Florida, highlighting the importance of pet microchipping.

Penny, who disappeared from her yard in Lucedale, Mississippi, was discovered last week in a DeLand driveway, leading to an emotional reunion made possible by a tiny microchip.

“I answered the phone, and she starts telling me who she is and where she’s located, and asked me if I had a dog missing,” said Kristy Tayler, Penny’s owner. “When she mentioned Penny, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, Penny, we were just talking about her.’”

The unexpected journey home began when DeLand resident Brianna Rideout spotted what she initially thought was a cat in her driveway.

“I saw what I thought was

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