After enduring months of worry, Sweetie—a 13-year-old dog—has finally been reunited with her devoted family, who never gave up hope. She was discovered 33 miles from home, becoming one of 250,000 missing pets brought back to their families through Petco Love Lost.

To mark this achievement, national nonprofit Petco Love is spotlighting its free, nationwide lost-and-found pet database. It is the largest of its kind in the United States and the only platform that uses AI-driven photo recognition to reconnect pets with their owners at such scale. With one in three pets going missing at some point—nearly 10 million each year—these reunions are incredibly important.

Sweetie had wandered away from her home in the Los Angeles area during maintenance work. Her owner, Ivelis, searched tirelessly and uploaded Sweetie’s photo to Petco Love Lost. “I checked the website five times a day,” she shared. After two long months, a match finally appeared—submitted by East Valley Animal Shelter, located 33 miles away. “That’s my dog,” Ivelis said emotionally. “It feels like a miracle. I have my happiness back.”

By uploading just one photo, Petco Love Lost uses AI technology to scan a nationwide network of shelter and community listings. It analyzes hundreds of visual details—such as coat color, size, and ear shape—to find matches, helping reunite pets either quickly or even after months apart.

“Every one of the 250,000 reunions tells a story of hope, love, and the deep connection between people and their pets,” said Petco Love President Chelsea Staley. “Bringing pets back to their families isn’t just part of our mission—it’s at the core of who we are. Each successful reunion keeps pets out of shelters and preserves families. This milestone also underscores how technology can address one of the most common and emotional challenges pet owners face.”

In another story, a kitten named Lucy in Ohio was reunited with her family just before the holidays thanks to a Petco Love Lost match. After Lucy disappeared, her owner, Ame, uploaded her photo and soon received a match. Within 24 hours, Lucy was safely home—just in time for Ame’s seven-year-old daughter, Evi, to gift her a toy mouse for Christmas. “I’m so happy Lucy is back,” said Evi.

Petco Love encourages pet owners to upload a photo of their pets while they are safe at home, ensuring they are prepared if the unexpected occurs. A single upload can make a life-changing difference—just as it did for Sweetie and Lucy.

Dogs may not have wings, but these pups are soaring to new homes! In June, 40 dogs were flown from the Mobile SPCA in Mobile, Alabama, to the Laurence G. Hanscom Field in Bedford, Massachusetts. From there, they were transported to the MSPCA-Angell: Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem, Massachusetts, and the New Hampshire SPCA (NHSPCA) in Stratham, New Hampshire. The MSPCA welcomed 33 dogs (28 puppies and 5 adults), while the NHSPCA received 7 dogs (2 puppies and 5 adults).

This lifesaving transport was made possible by the ASPCA’s Animal Relocation Program in partnership with Subaru of America, Inc. The program relocates animals from overcrowded shelters to those with available resources and a high demand for adoptions. For Mobile SPCA, which had been struggling with overcrowding, this relocation created space to help more local animals in need while giving the transported dogs a chance to find loving homes.
The results were incredible — all 33 dogs at the MSPCA-Angell found homes, including Leonardo, one of the 28 puppies on the flight.

Finding Leo
Hitesh and Swapnali V. had been searching for a Labrador Retriever-mix puppy when they discovered Leo on the MSPCA-Angell website. The moment they met him, the connection was instant. “His energy and vibe matched ours perfectly,” said Hitesh .

Leo quickly became part of the family, though he was initially anxious and needed to stay close to his new parents. Over time, he grew more comfortable, showing his playful and bold personality. “He’s added so much joy to our home,” said Hitesh while adding, “His energy and intelligence keep us on our toes, and we love every moment with him.”

Leo’s journey is a perfect example of The Rescue Effect — the ripple effect created when fostering or adoption opens space for shelters to help more animals. His relocation made room at Mobile SPCA, and his adoption by Hitesh and Swapnali opened space at MSPCA-Angell, enabling more animals to be saved.

The ASPCA and Subaru Partnership
This successful transport was part of the ASPCA Relocation Program, the largest national animal transporter, having relocated over 270,000 animals. Subaru of America, a long-time partner of the ASPCA, sponsors these efforts through its Subaru Loves Pets® initiative, which supports shelters nationwide and promotes pet adoptions.

Each October, Subaru celebrates Subaru Loves Pets month, working with over 600 retailers to assist shelters and support pet adoption. They also host National Make a Dog’s Day on October 22, encouraging people to do something special for their pets or help a shelter animal. Subaru is particularly passionate about helping "Underdogs"—older or disabled dogs that are often overlooked but equally deserving of loving homes.

Thanks to this partnership, countless animals like Leo have been given a second chance, highlighting the impact of teamwork and compassion in saving lives.

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