For seven years after disappearing near San Antonio, Texas, Honey the dog wandered about, her location unknown to her owner. Then they reunited last week after a city animal shelter found a microchip in what it thought was a stray dog, City of San Antonio Animal Care Services said. The microchip “was registered to someone who had adopted Honey many years ago,” the shelter wrote in a Facebook post.

Workers called the owner and gave Honey routine medical treatment. “While he was getting his initial shots upon entering our shelter, our staff got a call that his owner had already made it to ACS to reclaim in our front office,” the shelter said.

A staff member brought the dog into the room to see if Honey would recognize his long-lost owner. She “burst into tears,” “fell to her knees, and held him in her arms.” The reaction surprised shelter workers, who asked the woman how long Honey had been missing. “Almost seven years,” she replied. The shelter credited the microchip for the reunion, and although some municipalities, including San Antonio, have a microchip law on the books, pet owners in other areas can opt to have them installed.

Residents of San Antonio’s neighboring communities can go to the shelter and pay just $5. It can cost about $50 at a veterinarian in most parts of the country, according to WebMD.