Dog ends up in kill shelter with 6 days left — owner finds her with a microchip 1 year later

A woman named Raven Taylor (@the_ravxn on Instagram) captured the moment when she was reunited with her dog, Cinderella, one year after being forced to give her up. The reunion almost didn’t happen as Cinderella had landed in a kill shelter, with just six days left before they scheduled her for euthanasia. The timely discovery of a microchip made all the difference, preventing Cindrella from crossing the rainbow bridge too soon. The separation started when the family was relocated to military housing in Washington. Because of breed restrictions, Cinderella couldn’t be brought from Texas.

"We had to make the painful decision to rehome her," Taylor explained in the caption. The woman placed her with someone named "Stephanie Nicole" on Facebook, hoping it would be a safe solution. But Nicole abandoned the dog when she moved, assuming no one would find out. Cinderella ended up alone in a Texas shelter operating on a time limit. Her former owner only found her because the shelter scanned her microchip. "Microchip your pets! It can literally save their life!" she wrote. Taylor is right, and the data confirms it. A 2023 analysis by Human Animal Support Services found that pets with microchips are three times more likely to be reunited with their owners compared to those without one.

From across the country, with her husband deployed, the woman began organizing Cinderella’s return. With help from Angelique Strickler at the Waiting Under The Willow Foundation, the Harris County Pets team, and the transport group Paws Run 1, the reunion was made possible in just a few days. The video shows her stepping out of the van as Cinderella waits inside a crate. The moment their eyes meet, she rushes forward, drops to the ground, and opens her arms. Cinderella immediately runs into her lap, tail wagging furiously, and climbs into her arms. Laughter, crying, and disbelief mix together as family members surround them. "After a year apart, we’re finally reunited," she wrote in the caption.

She added, "Cinderella is HOME. Our family is whole again. And my heart? Finally put back together." She also thanked the Harris County Pets team for their part in the rescue, saying, "Your team played a role in this happy reunion, and we are especially grateful to your employee, Juanita — her kindness and support over the phone made all the difference. We truly appreciate the compassion and dedication you showed our family. We’ll never forget it!"

The video touched thousands, and the comments became a place for shared joy, heartbreak, and deep gratitude. u/petco wrote, "Cinderella is home—pure magic! A reunion filled with love, resilience, and the lifesaving power of microchips!" u/spiritxhill commented, "I am so, so, so incredibly happy for you. I cannot imagine the pain you went through during this. So glad you are reunited." u/wellwithadrianna added, "OMG. I am cryinggggg. I couldn’t even imagine! So glad she is home!!!" u/wuwfrescuehtx shared, "I’m so glad we could make this happen! I cried when I saw this!!!!" @j_lyn_z chimed in, "Omg! This baby KNEW! We do NOT deserve dogs! They are so genuine! So beautiful! So forever! I am CRYING!I am  SO glad you got her back! That IS your baby!!!"

You can follow Raven Taylor (@the_ravxn) on Instagram for more daily life content.