Posted at: 09/18/2009 6:59 AM | WHEC.com

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Dog reunited with owners after month-long, multi-state search

This story is courtesy of WHSV, Virginia.

For the first time in nearly a month full of drama, Benji the dog from Wolcott is back with his owners. He was found at an animal shelter in Virginia Wednesday and a microchip was used to confirm it was him.

"We came for Benji. Got a little white dog here that you don't know what to do with?" Benji’s owner Linda Schneider said.
  
Sometimes happy endings really do happen. Benji and his owners Bob and Linda Schneider were reunited in Edinburg, Virginia after being apart for a month.

The couple was in North Carolina when police say a wanted criminal, Jason Osborne, stole their vehicle with Benji inside.

"It was the worst, emptiest feeling you could ever imagine," Schneider said. But they didn't lose hope and started searching.
  
Meanwhile, Ernie Walters with animal control in Shenandoah County, Virginia found Benji and knew something was up.

"This is the type of dog you don't just drop. Something else was behind this story," Walters said.

Then as luck would have it the Schneiders saw Benji's picture online on Petfinder and learned he was at the Shenandoah County Animal Shelter.

Many animals are taken to the shelter and they are all checked for microchips but microchips can be missed. Sometimes they migrate after they've been in for a while.  So, sometimes it’s necessary to scan the animal more than once, which is what helter workers did and confirmed they had Benji.

"Overjoyed, overjoyed,” Schneider said. We just weren't ready to let him go yet, we just weren't ready."

Benji is safe and sound with his owners again, and police recovered their stolen vehicle but the suspect, Jason Osborne, is still on the loose. Police say he's wanted in at least 12 states.

For more Rochester, NY news go to our website www.whec.com.