Margo, cockerpoo

Margo Goes Home: Dog Stolen in Burglary Reunited With Owner
Thieves took Margo out of her crate -- and even stole her leash
Saturday, Jan 25, 2014

A D.C. man has been reunited with his dog after it was stolen in a burglary -- and after he took to News4 and social media, desperate to find her.

A dog stolen in a burglary has been reunited with his owner after a story on News4 and social media posts with the hash tag #FindMargo.

Eric Peterson said his cockapoo, Margo, was found on Benning Road in northeast Washington Saturday morning, after a tipster saw the dog's picture on News4 or on social media.

Police responded and found Margo, as well as some of her belongings, which the burglars had stolen.

News4's Pat Collins told the story of Peterson's break-in and his desperate search for Margo on News4 on Friday. The story was popular on social media, with people sharing posts with the hash tag #FindMargo.

"She's my family," Peterson said in the interview, visibly moved by the loss of his pet.

"I mean, I don't have any kids, so I wouldn't want to equate my dog with a child, but she's my companion. She's who I come home to."

WATCH: Man Desperate to Find Missing Dog

The break-in happened near 14th and D streets in Northeast, near Lincoln Park. The thieves, who apparently broke in through a basement door, took other valuables: The TV, two iPads, a laptop.


But they also opened Margo's crate and took the 2 1/2 year old cockapoo that Peterson has had since she was a puppy. They even took one of her leashes from a hook near the front door.

Peterson offered a reward of $10,000, no questions asked. It's not yet known if that reward will be paid.


Source: http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Margo-Goes-Home-Dog-Stolen-in-Burglary-Reunited-With-Owner-241957671.html

Another version of the story is available at http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2014/01/dog-stolen-in-burglary-reunited-with-owner/

Cooper, carjacked

Dog, missing since Monday carjacking, reunited with owner
By Sandra Olivas, Reporter
Posted: Jan 21, 2014 11:43 AM EST

A man is thanking the public after his dog, stolen during a carjacking, was returned safely.

Greg Horton said he stopped by a store at Westport Road and Holly Street to buy some wine after work about 5:30 p.m. Monday when he was surprised by a crook who said he was armed and would kill him. Horton handed over his car keys and the thief took off with his vehicle, along with his dog, Cooper.

Kansas City police said the victim was in a parking lot in the 1200 block of Westport Road after work when he was carjacked. In the man's vehicle was his dog, Cooper.

Horton said he was worried sick over his best friend and wanted the public to keep an eye out for the dog.

"He's my companion. He's gotten me through some tough times. He's a centerpiece of my family," the man said.

The family pet was sitting in the front seat of the car when a stranger surprised the doctor in the parking lot.

"He pushed me up against the car and he said, ‘this is how it's going to go. We are going to get in the car or I will ghost you. I don't want to kill you, but I will,'" Horton said.

He handed over his keys, but said he knew if he got in the car, he may never see his family again. Instead, he took a chance and ran for help.

Officers located Horton's vehicle about four hours later in the area of West 37th and Main streets outside of a bar. There they arrested Matthew Law, but Cooper was nowhere to be found.

"The plates had been changed on the vehicle to Missouri plates, I had Kansas plates. And he was thirsty evidently and he stopped at the bar," Horton said.

But the story didn't end on a sad note. Turns out a family saw Cooper wandering at a gas station in Kansas City, KS, off 18th Street and Steele Road Tuesday morning. They were worried about the frigid temperatures so they took him in.

When the KCK family saw Cooper's picture on the Facebook Tuesday afternoon, they called police and Horton said he couldn't be more grateful.

"Thanks to all who tried to find him. Great thanks to the folks that harbored him overnight. I couldn't be more happy," Horton said.

He said Cooper has a lot of personality and would have found a way to survive.

"I would not have left the scenes if it was my kids. I knew Cooper could take care of himself. And he did. How he look to you? Perfect," Horton said.

The people who found the dog said they just wanted to get him into the warmth, even though they had no idea who he belonged to.

"The dog was just shivering, so my husband sent picture of the dog and texted it to me and told me hat he was cold and didn't really want to leave him out here. I said to bring him home, we'll give him some food and water and we'll see what we can do," Liz Trujillo said.

She said Cooper was so well behaved that she knew he was loved by someone. The family said they're just happy they could help.

The doctor was busy with patients all day Tuesday, but said he has the contact information of the family who found Cooper, and he can't wait to meet them.

MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS

Law was charged with one count of first-degree robbery and was given a $100,000 bond, 10 percent.

To view filed reports of lost and found pets around the metro, check out the Kansas City Lost Dog Registry at http://www.lostdogregistry.net.

Source: http://www.kctv5.com/story/24507695/man-seeks-dog-stolen-in-kansas-city-carjacking

Bear, yellow lab

CBS13 Viewer Helps Folsom Family Locate Dog
March 20, 2013

FOLSOM (CBS13) – A woman’s luxury SUV was stolen, but it’s what was inside the vehicle that had her worried.

Sarah Kensky says her family hadn’t had Bear for long. The 110-pound yellow lab was just rescued from a shelter three months ago, but quickly became a part of the family.

“We just lost a dog last year and I can’t imagine losing another one,” said Sarah.

Bear was last seen Tuesday afternoon in the family car parked in front of the Folsom Whole Foods. Katie Kensky had just returned from a short vacation and decided to do a little grocery shopping.

“I missed him so much I brought him with me to the supermarket,” she said.

But when she returned from shopping, her car was missing and so was her dog.

“We don’t care about the car or the people who took the car,” said Sarah. “Whoever has him, we just want him back.”



Source: http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2013/03/20/folsom-family-pleading-for-return-of-dog-taken-with-stolen-car/

Buck, black lab

VB family finds missing dog
by Brian Farrell, WVEC.com
Posted on March 22, 2013

VIRGINIA BEACH -- A family finds their missing dog after someone spotted the pet at a nearby business.

Sean Palmer, his wife, Chris, their children, and pets moved to their home on South Plaza Trail from Kansas earlier this month. A week later, their 7-month-old Black Labrador Retriever, Buck, was gone.

"It's taken me many and many a dog to find the dog I truly bonded with that's gonna be good with my family, that I could take out in the woods and just like that, he comes running back to me," said Sean Palmer. "I love that dog."

Chris Palmer let Buck and their other dog, Lily, out in the family's backyard March 15. When she heard Lily at the door, looking to come back in, she opened it. There was no sign of Buck. He got out of the yard.

A couple days later, the mailman told her the dog had been across the road in the parking lot of Advance Auto Parts. He added someone in a blue Ford Super Duty truck with a double set of back wheels was petting Buck. The Palmers believe the driver of the truck took the dog.

"It's one thing, I guess, if you lose a dog, but then to find out someone witnessed him being taken is a completely other thing. It's indescribable," Chris Palmer told 13News. "You know, it's someone's dog. He has a collar, and we were told, I guess, there's a 48-hour rule that if you pick up a dog, you have 48 hours to notify the proper authorities."

"I can't really say that, you know, if I'd have found the dog, that I'd have went knocking on every single door, but I would have made some type of effort to say outreach to somebody and say, 'Hey, is this your dog?'" stated Sean Palmer. "Like I said, I ain't never loved a dog before, never."

The Palmers have looked around their area for Buck and kept in regular contact with animal shelters.


Buck was eventually located after someone recognized the dog at a local Uhaul dealership.

Source: http://www.wvec.com/video/featured-videos/Family-desperate-to-find-missing-dog-199640111.html

Leia, schnauzer

Alma Dominguez's Lost Dog, Leia, Found After 2 Years And 700 Miles; Owner And Pet Reunited
Posted: 03/19/2013

When Alma Dominguez’s beloved dog, Leia, went missing from El Paso, Texas, during a rainstorm, Alma and her husband, Alberto, were devastated. The couple searched for their lost dog for more than two years, and had almost given up hope of ever finding her. Then a phone call changed everything.

Video available

In this clip from the OWN series “Lost and Found," Annmarie Anderson -- a dog rescuer in Denver, Colorado -- recounts the amazing phone call she received from Alma. “She said, ‘You might have my dog,’” remembers Annmarie. But was it really the same Leia, two years and 700 miles away?

After looking at the Dominguez's pictures of Leia on Facebook, Annmarie put Alma on speakerphone so the dog could hear Alma's voice. “[Her] little tail was wagging and she was doing the little cry in her throat,” Annmarie says. “We realized right away that we had the right owner and dog.”

Alma was overjoyed, tears running down her face. “I wasn’t expecting it,” she says. “I’d found my Leia.”

How Leia got from El Paso to Denver is still a mystery, but the only thing that mattered was bringing her back home. Alma and Alberto traveled to Denver to reunite with their dog.

Watch the video to see the couple's emotional reunion with Leia after two long years and hear what they have to say now that they have their beloved family member back.

"Lost and Found" airs on OWN.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/19/alma-dominguez-lost-dog-leia-found-pet_n_2907339.html

A different version of this story was posted to this blog on 9/20/2011. This great 5-minute video was just posted on Huffington Post.

Sparkles, cocker spaniel

Woman Reunited with Lost Dog
Channel 5 News
Mar 8, 2013

McALLEN - Bekkie Acedo of McAllen thought she has lost her best friend forever. A few hours later, she was reunited with her beloved cocker spaniel.

Video available

A CHANNEL 5 NEWS viewer saw Acedo's story and contacted her.

"She said ‘I have Sparkles.' And I said, ‘how much money do you want?' And she said, ‘I don't want any money. I just want to return your dog to you,'" Acedo said of her conversation with the stranger.

Acedo drove 15 minutes from McAllen to an apartment complex in Edinburg.

"Oh my Gosh! Sparkles! Hi baby! Oh my God! Oh, hi mama! Where have you been? Oh! Thank you so much for taking care of her for me," an ecstatic Acedo said.

"She looks very well taken care of. Thank you so, so much," Acedo said fighting back tears.

Jessica Garcia said she found Sparkles while looking for a dog on Craigslist. She answered one of the ads.

"He was like, ‘if you want to take her off my hands, I would be happy if you did,'" Garcia said.

She picked up the dog three weeks ago. Garcia said the renamed the dog Lucy.

Garcia said she and her son fell in love with the cocker spaniel. Her heart sank when her mother called her to tell her about the news report.

"Lucy's on CHANNEL 5 ... they're looking for her," Garcia's mother said.

"I ran to my brother-in-law's room. I was like, ‘you need to go online. Search it.' And that's how we got the information," Garcia said.

"There are no words to describe it. She brings such joy to my life. I don't think she realizes," Acedo said.

Source: http://www.krgv.com/news/woman-reunited-with-lost-dog/

Perseus, yellow lab

Dog lost during JJ's fire reunited with owner
KSHB
March 9, 2013

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Perseus, the yellow lab that went missing shortly after the JJ's explosion Feb. 19, has been reunited with his owners.

Percy, very excited to see his human, John Verstraete, 
for the first time in 18 days

The search began around 9:30 Saturday morning when Theodore Charles, who lives near 36th Street and Garfield Avenue, spotted a dog matching Perseus's description.

"We remember seeing it on TV, and so I said, well I'd better call these people and see if this is the dog," Charles said.

Soon after Charles made that phone call, posts started to pop up on the "Bring Perseus Home" Facebook page about the sighting. Stacy Reeves, founder of PetEx Rescue and Transport, had been following the story for the past couple weeks.

"I was seeing my friends post that they were actively following Percy," Reeves said.

So Reeves and her boyfriend, Robbie Jupina, rushed to the neighborhood where "Percy" was last seen.

"We got to 36th and Wabash and that was where we saw him bolt across the street, so I went bolting after him," Jupina said.

Reeves and Jupina, along with other volunteers, helped to corner and held Perseus until his owner, Dr. John Verstraete, could be reunited with his dog.

"The second that Doctor Verstraete showed up, his whole demeanor, his body, everything changed, and he started whining in happiness," Reeves said of the dog.

After the reunion, the owners had Perseus checked out at the vet and were told he was fine, except for a couple of scrapes. The dog’s condition surprised his rescuers.

"For a dog to live through two snowstorms and to avoid being hit by any vehicles, it’s amazing," Jupina said.

Although the web played a part in tracking Perseus down, it all began with an old-fashioned phone call.

"To know that I did at least help this guy get his dog, man, it was a pretty good feeling," Charles said.

Dr. Verstraete posted on facebook Saturday night that he would give the $1,500 reward to Charles, and that “he will accept the reward whether he wants to or not. :)”

 

Source: http://www.kshb.com/dpp/lifestyle/pets/dog-lost-during-jjs-fire-reunited-with-owner

Max, yorkie

Detroit man reunited with his stolen Yorkie
By Taryn Asher Fox 2 News
Posted: Jan 22, 2013

DETROIT (WJBK) -- It was all smiles and kisses as a Detroit man and his best friend are reunited at Detroit's Sixth Precinct.

This is how it all unfolded.  Shannon came home to find a note taped to his door that basically said I saw the story last night and I know where you dog is right at this moment.  Shannon called the number on the note and soon found out if he wanted his dog back, he was going to have to pay up.

"Some lady answered the phone.  She said that she had bought my dog from a 'crackhead' for $750 and that I could get the dog back if I wanted it."

Shannon asked for a picture to confirm it was in fact his pint-sized pup.  When he didn't hear back, he called again.

"A gentleman answered the phone and he said that the girl didn't know what she was talking about, but he knew where I could find my dog but he wanted $1,500."

"They kind of infuriated me.  Not only [do] you have the audacity to try to sell me back my property, but you want $1,500 for it?"

Shannon hung up and called Detroit Police, who told him to call back and tell them he would pay the money.  Two undercover officers from the breaking and entry task force showed up and waited.

"The cops wanted me to make sure that they had my dog.  So the guy actually got out of the car with my dog in his hand, and he's like, 'Where's the money?'  And I'm like, 'Hold on.  I'll get it for you.'"

Shannon pressed send on his cell phone to alert the officers.

"When I saw them get back in the car, I was just praying that the cops could catch them before they got away and, in fact, they did.  So I was really appreciative for that.  So the cops did an excellent job."

"I appreciate Fox 2 for putting it on the air and helping me get my dog back because without Fox 2, the word wouldn't have got out and I'm pretty sure they never would've called me."

Police believe the same guys that are in custody are also responsible for stealing all of Shannon's stuff and his dog.  They plan to run the fingerprints to see if there is a match.

Source (with video) : http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/20653749/detroit-man-reunited-with-his-stolen-yorkie
Original story & video at http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/20643346/detroit-homeowner-heartbroken-after-thieves-steal-yorkie

Sadie, Newf/lab/springer spaniel mix

Lost dog reunited with owner following news coverage of a house fire
Penny Eims, Dog News Examiner
January 11, 2012

Fruitport Township, MI - Call it what you will...fate, destiny, devine intervention...some things are just meant to be.

Sadie, 13, receives oxygen from Fruitport Township firefighter Chris Anderson after being removed from a house fire Monday. Fire department personnel responded to a house fire at 2584 E. Pontaluna shortly after 8:30 a.m. on Monday. Sara Puente and her daughter Gabrielle Puente were home at the time and escaped without injury, as did Sadie, another dog and two cats

Back in November, 13 yr-old Sadie wandered away from her home with the Tejchma family.

The senior dog is mostly blind, hard of hearing and doesn't get around quite the way that she used to, but somehow she managed to travel several miles away from her family's home.

The Tejchma family searched high and low for their missing dog, but their efforts weren't successful. As the days turned into weeks - their hope for finding Sadie alive faded.

Despite the family's failed attempts to locate their senior dog, she was alive and well.

A woman named Sara Puente had discovered the wayward dog just after Thanksgiving - she told WZZM news that the dog "looked miserable", so she took her home.

Since Sadie was not wearing any type of identification, Puente was unable to locate her true family.

Fast forward to this past Monday when the Puente family was on the news following a fire at their home.

As fate would have it, a member of the Tejchma family was watching the report about the Puente family's house fire and low and behold, Sadie herself was featured in the news clip.

Sadie's original family spotted the dog being administered oxygen on the news cast and they immediately recognized her as their own.

The Tejchma family contacted the fire department for help - letting them know that the dog who had been on television was their family pet - a dog who they had owned since Sadie was just six weeks of age.

The fire department reached out to the Puente family to let them know.

Sadie's guardian, Marie Tejchma, feared that Puente might not want to turn Sadie back over to her.

But Puente understood the bond between a dog and their person, and she was more than happy to reunite Sadie with the family who loved, and missed her.

Sadie created a bond between the two families who now consider each other friends.

In fact, Sadie's family may even take in the Puente's Dachshund temporarily while they search for a new place to live following the devasting fire.

It is one of those rare stories where everything just seems to work out the way that it is supposed to.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/dogs-in-national/lost-dog-reunited-with-owner-following-news-coverage-of-a-house-fire

Another version of the story is at: http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2012/01/fruitport_township_fire_reunit.html

Stella, border collie mix

Dog, missing after wreck, reunited with owner
Reporter: Laura Leslie
January 9th, 2012

Raleigh, N.C. — Emily Odom got her dog back.

Stella, a seven-year-old border collie mix, spent more than 10 days in the elements after she and her owner, Odom, were in a wreck on Interstate 95 Dec. 26.

On Monday, the two were reunited after Stella was spotted outside a Harnett County body shop.

Odom was rear-ended in a traffic jam on I-95 near Dunn, and the impact sent her truck flipping into the opposing lanes. She ended up upside-down, hanging from her seat belt and bleeding from her head.

Stella wasn't hurt, and when rescuers arrived, Odom let her out of the car.

But the frightened dog ran.

Odom, friends and volunteers mounted a campaign to find Stella, posting flyers throughout Harnett and Johnston counties and contacting WRAL News.

The search came to fruition when someone at the body shop recognized Stella and called Odom. When she arrived, the dog ran right into her arms.

Source: http://www.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/10577717/

Video appeal for help in the search for Stella at: http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/10554001/#/vid10554001

Lola, corgi mix

Pompano Beach man reunited with dog lost at sea
By Juan Ortega, Sun Sentinel
Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012

Lola, a Corgi mix, about 4 years old, who disappeared during a fishing trip off Hillsboro Beach on Friday was reunited with her owners on Tuesday.

A dog vanished during a fishing trip in the waters off Hillsboro Beach. And after a four-day search that led to Boca Raton, the 4-year-old Corgi mix and her owner were reunited Tuesday.

With the public's help, Mike Peters, 33, of Pompano Beach, tracked his dog to Ed Hubbard, a volunteer at Tri-County Humane Society in Boca Raton.

Hubbard had been tending to her after she appeared along the beach in Boca Raton, Hubbard said. "She looks great," Peters said. "She must have swam to shore and been in shock. I can't believe she was up in Boca Raton."

Peters and his girlfriend, Heather Wolfe, 42, of Fort Lauderdale, were searching for Lola since Friday afternoon, when the dog fell off their 22-foot boat near Hillsboro Inlet, Peters said.

The dog was between his legs as the boat approached the inlet, and in an instant, "she was gone," he said. He searched the waters to no avail, he said. He and his girlfriend began posting fliers about her disappearance in public places and on Facebook, he said.

Still, Peters was optimistic about the dog's survival. It was part of Lola's routine to swim across a lake near her home almost every day, Peters said. Additionally, the waters were calm Friday.

Though Lola normally wore a dog tag, it wasn't on during the trip. Peters figured a "horrible haircut" that Lola received from a groomer would help the public recognize Lola. She looked like a lion: Her body was shaved, with hair remaining only on her head and neck, he said.

Lola was found in the 900 block of Ocean Boulevard in Boca Raton. About 7 p.m. Saturday, police asked the Tri-County Humane Society to pick up Lola from a police facility, according to Hubbard, the volunteer. Hubbard responded and took Lola back to his home and tended to her, he said.

Tuesday, someone read an article on the Sun Sentinel's website about the search for Lola and put Peters in touch with Hubbard, Peters said. Hubbard said he was "tickled pink when somebody called."

What did Hubbard think of Lola's hairdo? "Strange" and "incomplete," he said.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/pompano-beach-man-reunited-with-dog-lost-at-2078914.html

Morgan, pitbull

Owner reunited with stolen dog
Rebecca Clark
2011-12-02 18:25:35

SHELBY — Adrian Lovelace crouched down on the concrete floor and, when the kennel door had been sprung open, he called out “Morgan, Morgan.”

The black and white pit bull immediately made a beeline for Lovelace, jumping up on his chest and licking his face.

He didn’t think he would ever see his dog again.

The pit bull had been last year’s Christmas gift for his fiancée and had become a beloved family pet.

Several weeks ago, the dog disappeared.

An indoor pet for the most part, Morgan would be let out in the morning to go the bathroom and would often relax on an old loveseat on the front porch of the home on Dekalb Street.

“She would jump up and lounge,” Lovelace said.

The day she disappeared, Lovelace said Morgan had been outside while he made a quick run to the store with his son-in-law.

When they returned to the house, Morgan was gone.

At first, Lovelace thought she might have wandered off, but when she didn’t turn up after a thorough search of the neighborhood and a trip to the Cleveland County Animal Shelter, he began to lose hope of her return.

“We figured somebody put her in the car and she’s gone,” Lovelace said.

A couple of weeks after Morgan’s disappearance, two men were arrested in Shelby after animal control officers discovered that they were using pit bulls for dog fighting.

Patrick Tyler Philbeck, 21, and Daniel Blakely Bridges, 20, were arrested and charged with felony dog fighting.

A total of five dogs were seized and taken to the animal shelter.

Sam Lockridge, county health services coordinator, said he will petition the courts to have the owners cover the cost of feeding and housing the dogs. If the owners cannot pay or choose not to pay, the animals will then be turned over to the shelter to either be adopted or euthanized.

When the story appeared on the front page of The Star recently, a black and white pit bull was pictured with the story.

She is shown sitting in a kennel, ears back, her brown eyes sad and beseeching.

That dog was Morgan.

Mary Johnson, Lovelace’s fiancée, said shortly after the story ran, her sister called her and told her she had to see a photo on The Star’s website.

“I knew it was her as soon as I saw,” Johnson said.

“If her picture hadn’t have been on the front page, we never would have found her,” Lovelace said. “We got lucky. Everything came together.”

After proving that Morgan was their dog through vaccination records, Lovelace was able to take her home.

The pet was seized from Philbeck and Bridges just in time.

Lockridge said in a video police had obtained, the dog was seen pulling a sled up and down the street with a tire on top in an attempt to build up muscle.

“It’s terrible,” he said. “No reason for it.”

Lovelace said Morgan has never even been in a fight before.

“She’s very family oriented,” he said.

He said he is planning to have a microchip installed for easier identification to ensure Morgan never goes missing again.

Source: http://www.shelbystar.com/articles/stolen-60472-dog-owner.html
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Huckleberry, jack russell terrier

TV model reunited with stolen pet dog
By Camilla Goodman and Steve Bax
Oct 27 2011

Former model and TV personality Paula Hamilton's dog, Huckleberry, was stolen from her Farnham Royal home on October 12.

A TV star and old flame of Simon Cowell has been reunited with her pet dog after it was kidnapped and sold by the thieves.

Former model and television personality Paula Hamilton's dog Huckleberry, a tan coloured terrier cross, was taken from her home in Farnham Royal on Wednesday, October 12.

It is believed the dog was kidnapped and sold on for £150. The police are investigating the kidnap.

Thankfully Huckleberry was safely returned home by a woman who spotted an article in the Slough Observer.

Ms Hamilton said in a statement on her website: "I can't thank her enough. I would just like to say a huge thanks to everyone who helped and for all the kind wishes and thoughts.

"Hucks is back – half his weight, which wasn’t much to start with, but with a great healthy diet and lots of love and affection I'll soon have him back to his old self."

Ms Hamilton dated music mogul Simon Cowell when the pair were at school together in Slough. She achieved fame in the 1980s after appearing in an iconic TV advert for Volkswagen and, following a modelling career, became a judge on the Living TV show Britain's Next Next Model in 2006.

A spate of dog thefts in Bucks have prompted the RSPCA to issue advice on how to keep your pet safe.

Nicola Walker of RSPCA East said: "Microchipping a pet gives them the best chance of being identified and returned if they become lost or stolen. Thousands of pets are lost every year and many are never reunited with their owners - microchipping can change that.

"We would also urge pet owners to take photographs of their pets, to keep as a record, and to also take notes and photographs of any unusual markings. A thorough description and photo of your pet, will help the police in any hunt for stolen animals."

Source: http://www.buckinghamshireexaminer.co.uk/south-bucks-news/local-buckinghamshire-examiner-news/2011/10/27/tv-model-reunited-with-stolen-pet-dog-114018-29674722/
Original story with the plea for help here

Bella, black lab

Missing dog of wounded soldier found
Written by Christina Dickinson
Aug 31, 2011
 
KIOWA - An injured soldier from Fort Carson can rest assured knowing his best friend is back at home waiting for him.

Eric Bakken's black lab, Bella, went missing on Aug. 21 while he was deployed. Bakken is recovering in a hospital after being injured by an explosion in Afghanistan.



His friend Chad Steiner, who also owns a lab in Kiowa, was watching Bella while Bakken was overseas.

Steiner says the two dogs were playing out in the fields on the 21st, and for some reason, Bella never returned home.

After 9NEWS aired the story Tuesday night, a viewer thought he saw a similar dog at a shelter in Elizabeth.

Sure enough, the Elbert County Animal shelter discovered they had Bella.

On Wednesday morning, one of Bakken's friends picked the pup up.

The shelter says they are waiving the $125 boarding fee and the sheriff's office is waiving the $75 impound fee.

Source: http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=216444
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Alfie, Cavalier King Charles

Owners reunited with dog stolen by thieves on motorbike
30 Aug 2011

The owners of a 16-week-old puppy that was snatched by opportunistic motorcycle thieves have been reunited with their pet.

Alfie, with owners Pauline and Ashleigh Parsons, right, was carried off on a motorbike.

Spaniel Alfie was taken by a pair of thieves in a bank raid-style operation last week and was captured on CCTV.

Despite the efforts of Pauline and Ian Parsons, both 45, to find him, it was only after their story hit the headlines that Alfie's new owners got in touch.

The puppy was returned by a couple who bought him just hours after he was snatched from outside the family business in West Bromwich.

The couple, from Coseley, West Mids, about 10 miles away from the industrial park where the snatch occurred, said that they were walking their own dog when a man approached them and asked if they wanted to buy another dog.

They handed over the £150 asking price for the little King Charles Cavalier spaniel, after being told that he was the last of a large litter.

After seeing press coverage about Alfie's disappearance, the couple contacted the Parsons family to tell them the good news.

He was quickly reunited with his rightful owners, who said that he is slowly getting over the ordeal.

Mrs Parsons said: "He was a bit timid at first, but he's settling back in now.

"It must have been a bit of a shock for him."

Mrs Parsons said that she was not hopeful that Alfie would be returned safely, and can't quite believe that they have been reunited.

She said: "I've got to be honest, I didn't think we'd see him again.

"He's so little, and it would be so easy to shift him on to someone else."

The Parsons had been tirelessly canvassing their local area in an attempt to find Alfie, as well as posting messages on Facebook and various missing pets websites.

Mrs Parsons said: "We had a lot of help from organisations like Dog Lost and caninesearch, people phoned us up and told us who to talk to.

"And we went to a local show at the weekend to hand out leaflets. People said that they'd keep an eye out but we didn't hear anything back."

But the family admitted that the press coverage of Alfie's disappearance was the key to his safe return.

Mrs Parsons said: "If it wasn't for the press coverage I doubt we would've seen him again."

Though the family are "thrilled" to have their dog back, they hope that their ordeal will act as a warning to others to be vigilant when letting their own pets out.

Mrs Parsons said: "The main thing to remember is that these people are still out there.

"I can't believe the nerve of them, they came right up to the door and took him."

"We are still looking out for them."

But the family said they are finding lots of time to spoil Alfie, and that he can look forward to being a pampered pooch for some time to come.

Mrs Parsons said: "He isn't going to be allowed out of our sight now."  

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8730759/Owners-reunited-with-dog-stolen-by-thieves-on-motorbike.html

See another version of the story at: http://www.1pedigree.co.uk/2011/08/puppy-and-owner-reunited

Jack, shih tzu

Saga of Lost Shih Tzu 'Jack' Has Happy Ending
Family's dog finally back home thanks to a well-connected Peachtree Corners community
By Judy Putnam
April 26, 2011

It all began with a frantic e-mail from Stacy and Rob Wright. Their family dog, an 18-month-old Shih Tzu named Jack, had somehow gotten out of the family's fenced in yard in a Peachtree Corners neighborhood near the Racket Club of the South. But the story would end happily with Jack's return and with the Wright family's new appreciation for their community that collectively helped them find their dog.

Jack, an 18-month-old Shih Tzu, was lost for 11 days. With the help of a well-connected community, he was found and returned to his owners.

"Have you seen this dog," wrote Stacy Wright in her first e-mail on April 5 which included a photo of Jack taken in January standing in their snow-covered yard. "Please be on the lookout ... His name is Jack, he's a 10-pound black and white Shih Tzu ... Her note ended with a plea to call or e-mail with any news.

Jack's journey ended 11 days later at a home in the Gran River subdivision off Bush Road. It was a long way for a little dog to travel. Rob Wright figured Jack had managed to travel some six miles navigating busy roads and avoiding the wild animals that live in the wooded areas of this community. How he escaped being hit by a car, or attacked by a wild animal, is up for speculation. All the Wright family knows is that they're happy to have their Jack back home.

"We can't figure out how he got out," said Rob Wright who searched the wooden fence in their backyard for signs of how he may have escaped. The Wright family which includes their two sons, Alex, 9, and Andrew, 6, spent the first days scouring their neighborhood and surrounding areas.

There was still no sign of Jack. Then Stacy Wright sent out another e-mail which, like her first, was picked up by neighbors Rhonda and Bob Levan, whose extensive e-mail list is far reaching in the Peachtree Corners community.

Her plea was also picked up by Peachtree Corners-Berkeley Lake Patch which posted Jack's picture and this family's call for help. The family began receiving phone calls and e-mails from neighbors reporting they'd seen Jack.

"Jack is still on the loose," wrote Stacy Wright in her next e-mail, who said they'd heard from a neighbor in the Amberfield subdivision and another from the Timbers neighborhood who had reported seeing Jack playing with two neighborhood dogs.

The little guy seemed to stay one step ahead of the Wrights and all of the Peachtree Corners community who were caught up in the saga of finding the elusive Shih Tzu.

Rob Wright would search on foot for Jack after work, walking along the highways, and even peering through the storm drains that run beneath SR 141, still there was no sign of their family pet. Just how long could a young dog that had never left the safety of his family escape the harsh realities of being out on his own. "When we didn't hear anything for six days, we just assumed the coyotes had gotten him," he said.

But then came the call from a family near Berkeley Lake saying they had found Jack. He had entered their Gran River home through their doggy door and befriended the family's two very large German Shepherds. "They found him on the second floor of their home when they came home from work," wrote Stacy Wright. "At first they thought he was a puppet."

The little Shih Tzu and one of the shepherds named Lucy quickly became friends. A special bond developed between Jack and Lucy. The Gran River family had also received the family's e-mails and called that they had found Jack. Finally, on April 16, the Wrights and Jack were back together again.

The little guy was a little banged up with scrapes and a few cuts, but he was OK, said the veterinarian who examined him.

The Wrights, who have lived in their Peachtree Corners neighborhood for the past 10 years, have learned just how valuable a close-knit community can be. "It opened my eyes big time," said Rob Wright.

This is a story with a happy ending, and a heart-warming message about a community that despite its large size is linked together by e-mails and the Internet -- and filled with good neighbors looking after one another. And it's about a determined family that never gave up searching for their dog.

"We never stopped looking," said Stacy Wright. "We always had a feeling he'd come back."

Source: http://peachtreecorners.patch.com/articles/saga-of-lost-shih-tsu-jack-has-happy-ending

Willey, kelpie

Reader reunites with missing dog
16th July 2011

Willey’s owner tracks down his pet after reading the Daily News.

AN ARTICLE in the Daily News last Saturday has led to a man and his best friend being reunited.

A farmer was relieved to see his lost kelpie alive and well when he opened the paper last weekend.

The dog, tentatively nicknamed Blackie by carers but which has the real name of Willey, fell off the back of a ute when its owner was heading from Warwick to Inglewood.

Donna Tanner, from West Warwick Veterinary Services, said the owner hadn't realised his dog's chain had broken and didn't know where he had come off the ute.

“He saw the picture in the paper on Saturday morning and recognised him immediately,” she said.

“He called us and came in to get him.

“He was very happy to have the dog home.”

Willey was found on Monday morning, wandering along the Cunningham Highway, near the Pratten turn-off.

He had sustained some head injuries in his fall and was taken to West Warwick Veterinary Services clinic for treatment.

The vet clinic continued to treat and look after the dog throughout the week in the hope its owner would claim him.

Mrs Tanner said it was good to see a happy ending for the dog and, despite his injuries, Willey was in good shape.

After recovering well throughout the week, the lucky pup was sent home.

Source: http://www.warwickdailynews.com.au/search/?tag=reunited&all-sites=on

Chance, black lab

Texas couple reunited with lost dog in Tucumcari
Russell Anglin
Thursday, Jul 7 2011, 7:15 pm

Forth Worth, Texas retirees Chick and Lee Gardner were devastated to find their search and rescue dog, a black Labrador retriever named Chance, missing from their car and care while returning from a California vacation Saturday night.

Lee Gardner is reunited with Chance, her search and rescue dog, Wednesday at the New Mexico State Police office in Tucumcari

The couple realized that one of their three search and rescue dogs was not in the car with them when they stopped in an Amarillo hotel Saturday night. It turns out Chance had hopped out of their car to pay patrons a visit earlier that evening when Chick and Lee stopped at the Flying J truck stop in Tucumcari. They had not realized Chance jumped out of the car when they popped the trunk.

“I was like, ‘What do you mean he disappeared? That’s not possible,’” Lee said.

Chick called the Flying J immediately. A cashier there said one of the Flying J employees had discovered the dog and had him at his house.

The Gardners drove back to Tucumcari, planning to pick up Chance and return to their Amarillo hotel. But when they returned, they discovered Chance had left the caretaker’s house. It was back to square one for the Gardners.

Chance had already earned his name twice before. Lee explained that Chick found Chance at a Fort Worth animal shelter. Chance was a mange-infested puppy then, but Lee said Chick personally nursed the puppy back to health.

“My husband said, ‘No, I can see the life in this dog. I think we need to take this dog home,’” Lee said. “He’s 75 pounds now.”

Three years ago, Chance experienced another battle for his life when he came down with bloat, a digestive dysfunction that is one of the leading killers of domesticated dogs.

“I have to call him Second Chance now,” Lee said she thought after Chance survived his bout with bloat.

Lee could only hope there would be a third chance for Chance as she and her husband did all they could over the past week to recover their dog. After a trip to recover their possessions from Amarillo Saturday night, the couple checked into a hotel in Tucumcari, determined to find their canine family member.

Lee called her daughter and son-in-law to bring their search dog out from Fort Worth to search for Chance Sunday.

“She found his scent right away,” Lee said of her daughter’s dog. “She wondered for a couple blocks and that was it. There was no direction of travel. I did not know what to do at that point. We figured that somebody had picked him up. My husband went around to everybody Monday.”

The Gardners were not ready to give up. According to Lee, the couple traversed every square block of Tucumcari multiple times over the next few days, desperately searching for their search and rescue dog.

Chick, an ex-military animal operator, had served tours of duty in Afghanistan and Vietnam before he and Lee retired to work with animals on a full-time basis. Lee just retired from a career as an educational diagnostician this year.

Lee explained that Chance is trained as a live-find dog, meaning he will search for live bodies in the wilderness after disasters or accidents have taken place.

Lee said she and Chick searched for Chance over the next few days. They spent their July 4 holiday looking for chance.

“We were thinking during the fireworks he might jump out and try and get out in the street and we might see him and we didn’t see him,” Lee said.

So the search continued. Lee said she was amazed to find how helpful Tucumcari residents were when she asked for help.

“Tuesday my husband went around to everybody including the radio station … not one single person said ‘I don’t have time for this. Don’t bother me with this.’ It was absolutely amazing,” Lee said. “I got out ... I guess it was about 1, 1: 30 (p.m.). I found a gang of kids at one of the corner places. They had their music blaring and everything, and I pulled in there and asked if they’d seen him and I told them I’d really appreciate if they’d look for a dog and there was a reward and they said ‘Yes ma’am. We’ll go right away and look for him.’ They were very, very nice.”

As it turns out, resident Jennifer Jiminez had located the dog near St. Anne’s Catholic Church after Saturday’s evening mass. Attempts to reach Jiminez have been unsuccessful as of Thursday, but Lee said Jiminez took great care of Chance. Lee said Jiminez heard Chick talking about Chance on the local radio station Wednesday morning.

“He got back to the hotel and it wasn’t fifteen minutes after he was back before (state police dispatcher) Kim (Molyneaux) called,” Lee said.

After days of searching, Lee, Chick and Chance were reunited once again. The Gardners returned to Fort Worth Wednesday evening.

“I was so worried about (Chance) being out in the heat, being out without water,” Lee said. “We just felt really, really blessed.”

Source: http://www.cnjonline.com/articles/car-44059-chance-tucumcari.html

Snowflake, bull terrier

Stolen dog Snowflake found
by Kevin Cheng and Tom Westbrook
Jun 11 @ 06:50am

Snowflake was returned to his owner after a front page in the Parramatta Advertiser told of how he went missing

Snowflake, the stolen minature bull terrier, was returned to Ermington police station yesterday afternoon just hours after The Parramatta Advertiser hit the streets with the story on the front page.

The puppy was stolen last Tuesday afternoon when owner Nik Wilker was walking with it on William St, Granville.

Mr Wilker, 25, was king-hit from behind and knocked unconscious.

When he woke up a short time later, Snowflake was gone.

After a week of fruitless searching, Mr Wilker has been reunited with his pet, thanks to The Parramatta Advertiser.

“I think it really was the big front page that brought her back,” he said.

“Someone must have seen that and thought ‘no, this dog is way too hot’, and just dumped it.”

Snowflake was found wandering in Ermington and was returned to the police station after a reader recognised her from the story.

Mr Wilker is overjoyed to have his favourite pet back.

“I couldn’t believe it, we were jumping up and down ... I’m nothing but happy,” he said.

Originally from Germany, Mr Wilker has lived in Australia for 2 1/2 years and in Granville for only six months.

He was walking Snowflake back from the off-leash dog park in Glen St, Granville, about 4.40pm.

He walked up William St and crossed the road between The Avenue and Lumley St, when he was attacked.

Mr Wilker said he remembered seeing a black Barina but his memory was blank after that.

Police said despite William St being a busy road, no one saw the incident or even came to Mr Wilker’s aid.

“If there’s not even one witness, there’s not much the police can do,” Mr Wilker said.

He suffered cuts to his head, hands and knees and woke up with a sore face.

The theft of Snowflake was the latest in a string of dognappings in Sydney.

In a Parramatta dog park last Wednesday, a man approached the owners of a staffie and asked if they would like to earn money by putting their dog in fights.

Gretchen, senior dog

Senior Dog Lost For 12 Days Reunited With Owner
Gretchen, 13-Year-Old Dog, Recovers From Ordeal
by Barbara A. Besteni, Managing Editor, Local10.com
June 21, 2011

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Next time someone refers to one of our four-legged friends as "just a dog," you may want to share this with them.

Last week, Local10.com brought you the story of Terry Knight and Gloria Sajnaj, two women who had been searching for Sajnaj's 13-year-old dog, Gretchen, since she wandered off several days earlier.

When a neighbor claimed to have seen Gretchen, Knight and Sajnaj began papering the area with fliers.

That’s when Robert Creston, a supervisor of the city's Code Compliance Division, flagged down Knight's car and told her he was taking down all the signs because they were in violation of the city’s code.

When we posted the story on Local 10’s Facebook page, viewers were outraged at the city’s insensitivity, considering that Knight had provided Local 10 with dozens of photos of code violations the city had ignored while ripping down the lost dog signs.

Gretchen was lost in West Palm Beach last week week. After 12 days, she was reunited with her owner.

On Wednesday, animal advocates who had heard of Sajnaj’s plight attended the mayor’s monthly meeting and pleaded on her behalf.

On Thursday, Knight received the following note from Dianne Sauve, the director of Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control:

“I spoke with the City and they have agreed to review their policies on flyers for lost dogs and/or cats. I believe you can safely post now!"

Meanwhile, the reward for Gretchen’s return increased to $600 from people who came forward and wanted to help.

With renewed faith and strength, Knight and Sajnaj resumed their search for Gretchen.

On Monday morning, Knight sent Local 10 a note saying that Gretchen had been found. And although she was in pretty bad shape after 12 days of being on her own, Gretchen was responding to treatment and was expected to go home after a couple of days of recuperating at a veterinary clinic.

“When Gloria found Gretchen, she was under a bush by the railroad tracks just about 50 feet from the street," Knight wrote. "It was evident that had she not been found, that is where she would die."

Knight also she received dozens of calls from people who wanted to help pay Gretchen’s veterinary bills.

On Tuesday morning, we received an e-mail with a new photo of Gretchen.

“I am so happy to share this picture with you of sweet little Gretchen - just home after her ordeal on the street and in the ER," Knight wrote.

Both Knight and Sajnaj thank everyone who came together to make this miracle happen.

“Gosh, and I guess we should thank Robert Creston -- the code compliance officer -- for taking down posters which got the publicity to begin with," she added.

And so this story has a happy ending.

I guess you could say it's just another miracle that started with just another dog.

Source: http://www.local10.com/furryfriends/28305700/detail.html
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