The family, from Old Buckenham in Norfolk, England, celebrates the miracle after returning home eight years after his beloved dog was stolen.
Witnesses saw Labrador Daisy, photographed from Rita and Philip Potter’s garden in 2017. The thief was considered an expert running backyard breeding operations. However, despite police efforts, the perpetrator was never caught and Labrador remained missing.
“It was terrible for us to not know whether she was safe or whether she was loved,” Rita said. “We did everything we could to find her, including the huge appeal of social media all over the world.”
As the years went by, the family wondered whether Daisy was still alive, as she was already five years old when she was stolen. They refused to give up hope, but feared that they would never know what had happened to her.
“We had pictures on the mantelpiece so we looked at it every day thinking about her and where she was,” Rita said.
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Potter’s nightmare finally ended by chance when inspectors from the UK’s leading animal welfare charity, Animal Abuse Prevention Association, found Daisy during a daily investigation. Her owner only had her for a few years and was not the one who stole her. However, Daisy was ignored and appeared to need a doctor’s appointment, so the RSPCA inspector took her to the vet for treatment.
Upon reaching the vet, the microchip revealed Daisy’s true identity and ownership. Soon, in a tearful exchange, she was reunited with her long lost family.
Watch the video above to see the stolen family dog finally back home.
“It’s an absolute dream that the RSPCA found her and brought her back to us who she belongs to. We’re so grateful,” Rita said. “We know she’s an elderly person now and has health issues, but whenever she leaves, she’s surrounded by a lot of love and attention now.”
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