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Man cremates what he thought was his dog, only to be reunited to his actual dog shortly later

Posted at 6:36 AM, Jan 10, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-10 07:36:27-05

SACRAMENTO, CA (KOVR/CNN) — A Sacramento man went through a roller coaster of emotions after he cremated what he thought was his dog, but then was reunited with his actual dog shortly after.

Ralph Johnson and his dog, Cognac, have been inseparable for months.

But then one day, the canine got away. Johnson searched for Cognac but came up empty.

Eventually, he found a dead dog lying on a road where he and Cognac often walked.

Johnson took the dog to be cremated at the Front Street Animal Shelter.

But then, things took a surprising turn.

Shortly after the cremation, Johnson got a text from the facility, saying Cognac was still alive.

It turns out the dog that Johnson found looked very much like Cognac but was in fact another dog.

"I had been having ups and downs. He's taught me so much about myself," Johnson said.

Johnson and the shelter both say a microchip in Cognac is what led to the reunion.

Both believe it wouldn't have happened without it.