LAS VEGAS (NEWSnet/AP) — Judith Monarrez wept when news arrived through email: Gizmo, her pet dog missing for nine years, had been found alive.

In 2015, Monarrez was living with her parents in Las Vegas, when Gizmo, then 2, slipped past a gate in the backyard.

Monarrez moved into her own home, earned a master’s degree and began a teaching career. But she never stopped trying to find Gizmo.

When she received the email, she got into her car and drove to meet Gizmo at an animal hospital. A woman had found the now 11-year-old dog and took him to the clinic, where a veterinarian scanned his microchip, triggering the email notification.

Within hours of receiving that email on July 17, Gizmo was back in his owner’s arms. Monarrez calls it a miracle.

“I’m so glad I registered his microchip,” she said.

Gizmo’s first week back at home has brought mixed emotions. The nine years they had spent apart changed Gizmo, too. The 8-pound Chihuahua has developed fear of shadows, heights and birds, and walks with a limp. Monarrez said both of the dog’s eyes are infected, and some of his teeth are missing.

“Even though he looked so different, when I looked in his eyes, I knew immediately it was Gizmo,” Monarrez said, recalling the moment they were reunited at the vet’s office. “As soon as I said his name, he tilted his head and he didn’t stop staring at me.”

For now, Monarrez is focused on addressing her pet’s health situation and “showering him with all the love that we were holding onto for all those years.”

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