MOBILE, AL - A German Shorthaired Pointer that went missing from his Northern Alabama home a decade ago has been returned.

Charlie was presumed to be dead after he was gone for several years. The dog’s owner, Tracey Dove, says she believes Charlie was stolen after the enclosure that housed Charlie was broken into.

However, Charlie was tracked down last week on the steps of a church near Brewton, Alabama. Renee Jones, Rescue Director at an Alabama-based rescue organization, said she received a call from a neighbor who told her that there had been a dog on the steps of the church for three days. Jones went to investigate, and Charlie was finally found.

Renee took Charlies to the Springhill Veterinary Clinic where he was scanned for a microchip. When the vet discovered he was chipped, they weren’t confident they would be able to find the owners. Oftentimes, owners implant the dog with a microchip but fail to follow through with completing the registration or updating their contact information.

In the case though, Charlie is lucky in that his owner kept her records up to date despite how long the pooch was missing. Officials at the vet clinic were able to contact her.

WKRG-TV reports Dove was speechless when she first heard the news that Charlie was alive and had been found.

Unfortunately, Charlie has a huge mass on his side and is currently undergoing tests to see how serious his health problems are. The pointer will likely have that mass removed on Thursday.

If you’d like to donate to Charlie’s medical expenses, you can do so at the following link: https://www.paypal.me/SOBRR.