WATCH: Happy Ever After For Dog And Owner After 12 Years Of Separation

IT TOOK 12 years for Katheryn Strang to be reunited with Duchess, her beloved fox terrier.

Duchess went missing in February 2007, and it is unclear how she managed to travel hundreds of miles to Pittsburgh. A resident found her under a shed cold, hungry and unkempt and took her to the Humane Animal Rescue. Staff identified Duchess by scanning a microchip affixed to her and found that her owner lived in Florida.

Zac Seymour, manager of digital communications at Humane Animal Rescue commented on Strang’s reaction on getting the call that her dog had been found: “When she got that call from us, she was in disbelief. She couldn’t believe it was happening,”,

“When it happened, she got really emotional,” he said. “It was very emotional for everyone. That’s a powerful moment for when a dog is lost for 12 years. For all she knew, she would never see Duchess again and that moment was moving for everyone.”

Seymour advised pet owners of all kinds – not just dogs, he emphasized – to consider microchipping their pets and registering their pet in case they do end up lost and far from home.

“It’s such a small price to pay for that peace of mind,” he said.