On September 30, 2025, Edmon Lighthall, a 51-year-old father of two and lifelong Chicago resident, welcomed home his long-lost canine companion, Peter. The emotional moment clearly made him happy and sentimental. Peter, Lighthall’s poodle-doodle mix, disappeared from his owner’s fenced-in backyard in 2015. For almost nine years, this absence created a crushing emptiness in his life. A reunion of the two was made possible thanks to HomeAgain, a microchip registry company. They’d called Lighthall two weeks prior to tell him that they had located Peter.
After adopting Peter in 2012, Lighthall called the dog his “shadow,” an indication of the strong connection they had. But no matter how many years went by, he never forgot his first furry love. “I think if he’s alive, I’m sure that I’ll see him again,” he remarked, expressing hope throughout the years.
The breakthrough came when Peter’s microchip was scanned at a local animal shelter in Hammond, Indiana, approximately 45 minutes from Lighthall’s home. The city of Hammond offers free microchipping for residents’ pets, a service that proved crucial in reuniting Lighthall and Peter.
When Lighthall arrived at the shelter and saw Peter for the first time, he cried.
“It was absolutely unbelievable. I saw Pete. He came out, he greeted me, and it was almost immediate. I felt like he recognized me immediately,” Lighthall said.
In an extremely cute reunion, Peter greeted his old friend with his signature move—twirling in circles then lying down in front of Lighthall.
“I thought, ‘No way.’ I mean, it’s the same dog,” he added.
Lighthall’s story is a powerful testament to the unique bond shared by any pet—and any person. It further highlights the importance of microchipping, and why that’s so vital. A spokesperson from the Hammond Police Department stated, “This story is a perfect example of why microchipping works. It’s quick, painless, and it can make the difference between a lost pet and a happy reunion.”
As Lighthall celebrated this remarkable reunion with a small gathering of friends and family, he reflected on the years spent apart from Peter.
“I just felt deeply, a lot, for a long time, that we were inseparable in some way, and somehow this worked out,” he said.
