COLUMBUS, Wis. — Two years after a Wisconsin man lost the dog he says helped him through some of the worst times of his life, the universe found a way to return his stolen pal.

Identified only by his first name, Jose said he hit bottom two years ago. He was homeless, divorced and living in his car when he decided to get a puppy, who he would later name Chaos. The name fit the dog, who was brimming with energy and grew quickly.

“Chaos helped me through so much in my life, I took him everywhere with me,” he told Winnebago County Animal Services.

While trying to get his life together, Jose asked a friend of a friend to watch Chaos so he could work on getting a better place for both of them to live. When he asked for Chaos back, however, that person refused.

“I didn’t think I would ever see my dog again,” Jose said.

Two years after he lost Chaos, Jose got a call from a Winnebago County Services employee who had coincidentally found a stray dog in her driveway.

After locating a microchip, the shelter called the number linked to it, which was Jose’s. Overcome with emotion, Jose began to cry over the phone, according to the shelter.

“I was speechless and I couldn’t stop smiling. I just couldn’t believe it,” Jose said. “I couldn’t get to the shelter fast enough.”

He drove early on April 29 to the shelter, and remembers being nervous about whether or not Chaos would remember him.

It took Chaos a few seconds to realize who he was, but once the pup smelled Jose’s hand he was sure, and video of the touching reunion that followed has been viewed more than 1 million times.

Jose said Chaos rested his head on his shoulder during the 90-minute drive home.

His advice for other dog owners?

“Pay the microchip fee,” he said.