Debbie LaFleur’s Yorkie, Kingston, is no stranger to adventure—and to being found. After being missing for nearly five years following Hurricane Laura in 2020, Kingston was recently reunited with Debbie. But his journey didn’t stop there. Just days after their emotional reunion, Kingston went on another adventure, prompting a frantic but successful search.
Kingston was discovered 300 miles away at the Kappa Sigma Fraternity House on the University of Southern Mississippi campus, where fraternity brothers had taken him in and named him Benji. They scanned his microchip and discovered he was from Lake Charles. Once they contacted Debbie, she and her son, Jared, quickly drove to Hattiesburg to bring him home.
However, Kingston’s second act of escapism occurred during a trip to Buddy Prejean Park. While there with Debbie and Jared, Kingston ran off, leading to another search, this time with the help of 7 News reporter Brendan Brown. After about an hour of searching, the LaFleurs and Brendan found Kingston playing with another dog. They quickly hopped a fence, and the other dog’s owner handed Kingston over to Jared.
“It didn’t take us five years this time,” Debbie said with relief. The microchip that had helped reunite them the first time continued to be a vital tool, and Debbie is grateful for its role in bringing her dog back home.
Veterinarian Dr. Sarah Guidry praised the effectiveness of microchips, noting that Kingston’s chip was still registered to Debbie even after five years, demonstrating the technology’s importance in tracking lost pets.
Kingston may be a bit of an adventurer, but thanks to his microchip and the swift help of the community, Debbie is now back to having her beloved pet by her side—hopefully for good this time.
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