Who doesn't love a good reunion story? It's what makes films like Homeward Bound or The Incredible Journey so touching. The thought of losing your beloved pet can be crippling, but stories of lost or stolen pets returning home can shine a much needed light on an otherwise dark subject.

Here are five stories of lost pets overcoming nearly impossible odds and finding their way back into their family's arms.

1. Leia - The Texas Dog Who Walked to Denver

From The Huffington Post

Two years ago, Alma Dominguez lost her precious puppy, Leia, outside her home in El Paso, Texas. Having all but given up hope and thinking the trail had gone cold, Alma made one last call to a dog rescuer in Denver, Colorado, and was shocked to hear their response. As luck would have it, they had Leia, some 700 miles away from home! After a long flight and a tearful reunion, the Dominguez family is finally whole again.

2. Ily - The Brave Dog Who Survived in the Desert

After surviving a terrible car crash somewhere north of Phoenix, Arizona, Rose Sharman woke to discover that the crash had taken the life of one of her dogs, while her other dog ran off into the desert. For two months, a tired Rose kept hope alive that her beloved Ily was still clinging to life out there, so much so that she inspired upwards of a hundred people to help her search for her lost dog. With the help of a dedicated rescue team, and a couple of well placed, humane traps, they managed to lure a nervous Ily out of hiding and back into her mama’s loving arms.

3. Taz - The Puppy Who Disappeared for Over 3 Years

From Koin.com

Just a puppy when he ran away from home, this little black dog took off scared on Halloween three years ago. Assuming all hope was lost, the family mourned the loss of their dog. “We thought for sure either a coyote got him or he had been taken,” said Taz’s pet parent, Brenda Davies. Well, thanks to the actions of Bruce and Donna Cox some three years later, little Taz was returned home safely after being identified by the microchip under his skin. Further proof that microchipping is worth it.

Her home broken into, an already distraught Elizabeth Newman hit a new low when she discovered that not only had she been robbed of precious family heirlooms, but also of her Yorkshire Terrier, Sophie. After canvassing her neighborhood and blanketing it with flyers, Elizabeth was surprised to find that the whereabouts of her cherished terrier would be provided by a 10-year-old boy who has seen their dog at a nearby house. While it may seem like a story with nothing but happy endings, for one little girl, Renaiya, who lived in the house that had taken Sophie in, the reunion of this little dog to her actual mother was undeniably tough.

5. Sasha - 5 Years Gone and 1,700 Miles Away

From ABC News

An Indiana woman, Jen Koczan, was reunited with her long lost Rottweiler, Sasha, last month after having been apart for over five years. After Sasha was dognapped, Koczan, like most dog parents, thought she would never see her dog again. However, thanks to the tireless efforts of the Kindred Hearts Transportation Connection, and no small amount of luck, her precious pooch was returned to her on a transcontinental journey, after turning up nearly 1,700 miles away in Phoenix, Arizona. Now that is a homecoming worth barking about!