Watch: Missing dog reunited with Arizona family after 12 years

Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Animal control officers in Arizona said a dog picked up as a stray was scanned for a microchip and found to have been missing from his family's home for 12 years.

Maricopa County Animal Care and Control said in a Facebook post that an officer recently picked up "a senior dog who appeared a little shy and kind of sad, he never wagged his tail."

The officer scanned the canine for a microchip and discovered his name was Minion. She called the number on the microchip and left a voicemail.

The officer received a call back hours later from Minion's owner, who said the dog had been missing since running out through a back gate left open by a maintenance worker in 2011.

"Our field officer drove 15-year-old Minion back to his home -- she explained to his owner before opening the kennel that Minion is old now and is not really a fast mover. However, once she opened up the kennel, Minion saw his family and instantly started wagging his tail and was clearly excited to be reunited with his family," the post said.

MCACC said Minion's whereabouts for the past 12 years are unclear, but his reunion highlights the importance of getting pets microchipped.