BOSTON (WHDH) -- A dog was reunited with its family after it had jumped out of the car after an accident and was missing for three weeks.

The Rowan family spent three agonizing weeks putting up fliers, posting on Facebook, and searching neighborhoods for their Bichon Frise, Sophie. But little did they know, the dog was at the local adoption center the entire time and by the time they found that out, another family had already claimed her.

In late August, their daughter Nicole got into a fender bender a few miles from their Whitman home. Sophie was in the car and the time and escaped into the woods.

A week after Sophie ran off, someone found her several miles away and brought her to the MSPCA in Jamaica Plain.

The 11-pound lap dog wasn’t wearing a collar and didn’t have a micro-chip, so after 10 days, Sophie was put up for adoption. She was adopted right away by a family on Belmont. The MSPCA later learned the dog already had a family and contacted the Rowans to tell them the bad news.

“My mom called and said it was our dog and I just broke down hysterically crying. And then she said, ‘But she got adopted,’ and my heart broke,” said Nicole Rowan.

Legally, Sophie’s new family didn’t have to give her back, but they knew it was the right thing to do.

“And Sophie came running out and jumped right in my arms. She was so excited,” said Robin Rowan.

The Rowans said they learned a lesson and got Sophie and collar right away.