She says she buried her best friend and spent months grieving. But what she didn’t know, was that her dog was still alive.
When Sophia Alvarado’s dog, Tipsi, went missing in May of last year, she searched for days, posting on several social media sites.
But her search came to an end after being told a dog matching hers had been found dead, she believed it was her pet and held a burial.
“It took a long time about three or four months to actually, and it still affects me now even though she’s right here,” said Alvarado.
After mourning, healing, and getting a cat. The unthinkable happened.
“Superbowl Sunday I was driving down the street and I saw this young girl walking my dog,” said Alvarado.
Alvarado called the police and posted this video, now at almost half a million views.
But Bakersfield police couldn’t simply hand Tipsi back. Without a microchip, ownership was disputed for days, leaving Sophia in limbo.
Deputy Director Melissa Wells with the Kern County Animal Shelter say this happens more often than people think — with only 10% of lost dogs arriving at the shelter microchipped.
“Microchipping is one of the greatest tools that we have in order to be able to make sure that your pets if they get out or end up in your neighborhood somewhere or one of your neighbors finds them it gives us an avenue to be able to get them back to you,” said Wells.
But Wells adds, it’s also been able to save lives. In 2025, officers returned 249 animals to their owners as a result of finding a microchip.
Ultimately, Alvarado says the family surrendered her dog to animal control.
Now reunited, Alvarado says she won’t be letting Tipsi out of sight for a while.
“It’s a good feeling to have her back because I feel complete again,” said Alvarado.
Free microchipping is available for Kern county residents at the shelter, you can also check if an animal has a microchip for free at the shelter. Click here to learn more.
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