Charlie's Journey: More on the Dog Who Traveled 1,200 Miles and Found Its Owner

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Charlie's Journey: More on The Dog Who Traveled 1,200 miles And Found His Owner

by Rebecca Quimby

Stephan Soleas (on the unicycle), his wife Gemma (holding the accordion) and daughter Namané Amorea (on the horse) are thrilled to have their dog, Charlie, home with the family. Photo: Stephan Soleas

Those stories about dogs traveling hundreds of miles to be reunited with their owners are always pretty unbelievable, but this one takes the cake. Just a few days after 26-year-old musician Stephan Soleas hitched a ride from his home in Taos, N.M. to New Orleans, his 6-year-old Lab mix went missing. On Feb. 5, Soleas heard that his dog, Charlie, had reappeared about 50 blocks from where Soleas was staying, over 1,200 miles from their home. Turns out Charlie really, really, really didn't want to miss Mardi Gras.

Charlie's journey "home" began when a New Orleans couple vacationing in Taos spotted him running down the street. He wasn't wearing a collar, so they assumed he was a stray. The couple fell in love with the white dog, who jumped into their car as soon as they opened the door. As Soleas told Paw Nation, "It is very common for Charlie to run off because he is very cute and he understands his affect on people. He is the most free willed dog I have ever met." And if this doesn't blow your mind, nothing will: By coincidence, the couple even named the dog Charlie.

After spending a few days trying to locate Charlie's owner, the vacationers decided to keep him, driving with him for three days to their home in New Orleans. But when a vet at Magazine Street Clinic scanned Charlie's chip, they discovered that not only did the dog have an owner, but that owner was staying nearby. Soleas told Paw Nation, "It blew my mind when he showed up. I thought I was dreaming. People didn't even believe me because the story is so crazy!"

He went on to say, "Charlie is the same as ever. The craziest part of all this to me really was that I was having a hard time in NOLA. Ever since I rolled into town, things just were not right, and the moment I picked up Charlie, things got increasingly better. That's how I know Charlie came down there for me."