Missing Miami pug turns up in Lakeland weeks later

A Miami family's dog disappeared three weeks ago, only to somehow turn up in the Bay area.

Friday morning, a one-year-old pug was dropped off at the SPCA of Polk County.

According to shelter staff member Rachel Bulman, the dog was spotted running down a Lakeland street, weaving in and out of traffic.

A driver stopped, picked her up and decided to take her to the SPCA.

"From the instant that she got here her tail has not stopped wagging," said Bulman. "She probably pants enough to provide breath for a whole village. She's very friendly, and you can just tell she's excited."

Whether "Suse" knows it or not -- she's one lucky dog.

Unlike most animals who make their way to the shelter, she already has a loving home.

Following standard procedure, intake worker Shelly Richardson scanned the pug to see if she had a microchip.

Suse did.

"I was like, Miami? We're all the way here in Lakeland," said Richardson. "How would she get out here?"

SPCA staff contacted the little dog's owners, who were ecstatic.

They told the SPCA that Suse wandered off weeks ago, and they had been searching for her ever since.

But the mystery remains: How did Suse travel from Miami to Lakeland?

While there's much speculation, the answer may remain a secret.

Bulman said Suse's microchip was a powerful tool in getting her back home.

"It's probably the only chance that you have," said Bulman. "Especially now that it's hurricane season, to ensure that your animal -- if they somehow get off your property or get out of your sight -- that they can be reunited with you later."

An SPCA staff member and the dog's owner plan to meet halfway Saturday in Clewiston for the reunion.

Updates will be available on the SPCA's website.