A heartwarming reunion took place when a dog was reunited with its family eight years after being stolen.
Daisy, the Labrador, was stolen from her garden in Norfolk in 2017. The incident sparked outrage across the country. Actor Tom Hardy even appealed for a change in the law to make pet theft a specific criminal offense.
Daisy’s owners had lost nearly all hope of ever seeing her again.
But a miracle soon happened. On February 6, Dairy was spotted 250 miles away in the seaside town of Weston-super-Mare. She was eventually traced back to owner Philip and Rita Potter.
With the help of the RSPCA, Daisy was returned home.
Rita, now 80, held back tears as Daisy quickly recognized her old home and owners.
While the pair never gave up hope that Daisy would be found one day, they began to wonder whether she had passed away, as she would now be 13, and if they would ever find out what had happened to her.
Rita said the hardest part was ‘not knowing if she was loved or if she was safe’.
The couple had kept a picture of Daisy on the mantlepiece and would look at it every day thinking of her.
While Daisy is now elderly and has several health issues, Rita said that whatever time she has left will be filled with love and attention.
The entire family was overjoyed by the news, and even her grandchildren went out to buy treats and toys for her.
Taken In 2017
When Daisy was snatched in November 2017, the incident made national news. Witnesses reported that she was taken from the garden and thrown into the back of a van with fake number plates.
Daisy then disappeared without a trace.
The story of Daisy went national and eventually caught the attention of actor Tom Hardy, who helped them establish the Pet Abdfuction Bill in 2024, which made it a specific offence for individuals to steal a pet.
Despite their efforts, Daisy didn’t come home – until last week.
The labrador was found by RSPCA inspector Kim Walters who was conducting a routine investigation in Weston-super-Mare.
Walters noticed Daisy and grew concerned about her health after spotting several untreated mammary masses. When she spoke to the owner, she learned that the dog had been living there for a few years, but the man could not afford veterinary treatment. He eventually agreed to surrender Daisy into their care.
Daisy was then taken to a vet, where she was scanned for a microchip. It was there that her true owners were revealed to be Philip and Rita from Norfolk.
Walters immediately got in touch with the couple, who were shocked and elated with the news. They told her about how they had gone to great lengths to find her and how devastated they were when she vanished from their home.
Walters told them they would get Daisy back home as soon as she was healthy enough to travel.
While they found Daisy, however, they still don’t know who snatched her from the garden in 2017. She urges anyone with information to contact the police.
Before going home, Daisy was brought to the RSPCA’s Brent Knoll Animal Center, where she received treatment.
According to the branch’s behavioral welfare adviser, Andy Cook, Daisy had been used for backyard breeding. She suffered from several mammary masses and hip dysplasia. Her fur was also quite dirty, suggesting she had not been groomed for a long time.
At 13, Daisy is quite elderly and can no longer hear. However, she’s ‘the sweetest girl’ and will wag her tail whenever she sees you, Cook said.
