Last weekend, team members from the ASPCA had the pleasure of witnessing a very special reunion between two of our Adoption Center’s most memorable residents—just in time for Mother’s Day!

You may remember Zaza and Jamie, two grey pit bulls rescued by the NYPD in April 2016 after being found in deplorable conditions in a Brooklyn home. Though it was clear that the two sweet dogs had suffered, their recoveries and subsequent adoptions made for some of our most touching stories. Both dogs even made an impact on local law enforcement during their time with the ASPCA: Zaza escorted the NYPD Police Commissioner on “Take Your Dog to Work Day,” while Jamie was later given a special “day out,” with NYPD officers. 

While these two popular pups certainly made an impact on everyone they met, one thing we didn’t highlight was the fact that their bond went much deeper than their rescue: Jamie (now known as Lucinda) and Zaza (now known as Dani) are actually mother and daughter!

This fact inspired Dani’s adopter, Stacey, to seek out Lucinda’s adopter, Einat, and arrange a reunion. “As soon I found out about Lucinda’s existence through the Daily News piece, I immediately called my mom and told her we had to get them back together,” Stacey tells us. “I located Einat and immediately wrote her. She was so receptive and eager to bring the girls back together.”

Though reuniting these two dogs was something both Einat and Stacey wanted, there were some concerns such as where to meet—Lucinda is not a dog-park-dog—and whether or not they would get along. But Stacey tells us that the pros outweighed the cons, and they quickly decided to move forward. During a brief initial meeting behind a building, it was clear that both dogs recognized each other, but that they needed more space for a chance to truly reconnect. That’s when the adopters contacted the ASPCA, who offered our space to give Lucinda and Dani a truly special Mother’s Day reunion.  

“The reunion was beyond our expectations,” Einat tells us. “The taxi driver picked us up first, and then we picked up Stacey and Dani. When Stacey and Dani got into the cab, Lucinda was so happy! She started licking Dani's face, ears—everything! She was super excited and happy to see Dani.” It was clear that this mother hadn’t forgotten her daughter.

After the group arrived at the ASPCA, the reunion continued to be an emotional and joyous occasion for everyone involved. “You could tell they were really happy,” says Stacey. “Lucinda was just rolling around in pure joy. It was also great to see how the people embraced the dogs. I was hugging Lucinda and Einat was giving Dani kisses.”

It was a day filled with playtime, walks and plenty of kisses and affection. By the end of it, neither dog wanted to say goodbye.

Both Stacey and Einat tell us that they absolutely plan on organizing future playdates. It was truly touching to see just how far these two lovable dogs have come, and just how strong a mother’s bond can be.  

Happy Mother’s Day from Dani, Lucinda and everyone at the ASPCA!