Dog recovered after two years missing

An Albuquerque woman recovered her dog Saturday after it went missing almost two years ago, thanks to a microchip implanted in the animal and a Quay County sheriff's deputy who picked it up west of Tucumcari.

Felicia Chavez was reunited with Fasa, a 4-year-old neutered bull mastiff weighing between 60 and 70 pounds, in the office of the Paws & Claws Animal Rescue of Quay County.

The dog wagged its tail and licked her face as she knelt with the animal. Chavez also showed how she taught the animal to sit and shake hands.

Chavez said Fasa went missing after a now-former boyfriend from Clovis, whose father lived in Tucumcari, picked up the dog when she was at work in February 2021.

She said he didn't respond to calls or texts when she asked him to return the canine. She said she didn't know what happened to Fasa during those nearly two years.

"Mostly likely, he probably just dumped him," she said.

Quay County sheriff's deputy Mario Chavez (no relation) on Friday received a call from a rancher near the Palomas exit off Interstate 40 west of Tucumcari. The rancher had noticed the dog in the area for three days and had left food and water for it.

The deputy described the dog as "a little skinny," and it was covered with goatheads.

"It was in good shape for as long as it had been missing," deputy Chavez said.

Volunteers at Paw & Claws observed cuts on the dog's head; they surmised it may have been injured fighting coyotes.

While examining the dog, Paws & Claws staff scanned the animal for a possible microchip. It found one that listed Felicia's address and contact information.

Felicia observed Fasa probably had lost 15 to 20 pounds since the last time she saw him.

"He was way chubbier when I had him," she said.

Kathi McClelland, president of Paws & Claws, offered a theory on what happened to Fasa.

"Because he was picked up at Palomas, it makes me wonder whether he was trying to head home," she said. "There once was another dog that went back and forth from Love's (Travel Center) to San Jon to Bard and back. That dog was looking for his people."

Felicia was asked what she would do when she got Fasa back home.

"Love him," she replied. "It's been a long time. We'll give him Milk Bones."

Contacted by text on Sunday, Felicia was asked how Fasa was doing.

She responded by sending a photo of the dog lying down against a large stuffed toy.

"He's doing great," she wrote, "being a big baby as always."