Dog lost in FL nine years ago returns to family in KY

From MSNBC:

A German shepherd named Astro who has been missing from his family for more than 9 years is finally home.

The Geary family was shocked when they recently received a call from an animal control officer who said that Astro had been found.

The Geary's adopted Astro, an 80-pound black and off-white German shepherd, about 9 years ago from the Treasure Coast Humane Society near Port St. Lucie, Fla. A month later, Astro went missing.

Since then, the family moved three times and ended up in Louisville, Ky.

On Jan. 29, 2009, an animal control officer in Tennessee picked up Astro after receiving a report about a dog running loose. Officers tracked down the family through a microchip implanted in the canine when he was adopted.

Dennis Geary says he wasn't sure if Astro would remember him. But when they were reunited, the dog sat down and began licking him.

"It's still a real shock that he is actually here," his wife Linda Geary told TCPalm.com about having the family's dog back. "We are getting used to the fact that we don't know where he has been or who had him, but he's our dog and has always been our dog."

It's now been three weeks since the pooch has been home. Even though Astro was gone for so long, Dennis says he's never forgotten him — all these years he kept Astro's picture in his wallet.