Rita and Philip Potter thought of their stolen dog, Daisy, every day for over seven years.
“We kept a photograph on the mantelpiece and would look at it every day thinking of her and where she might be,” Rita toldBBC, adding that she and her husband “never gave up hope.”
Over seven years after Daisy’s disappearance, on Feb. 2, RSPCA inspector Kim Walters unknowingly stumbled upon the Lab during a routine inspection in Somerset, England, over 200 miles from the Potters' home. Walters found the dog in poor condition — mammary masses, hip dysplasia, and dirty fur — under the care of a new owner, who said they had the dog for only a few years. The new owner agreed to sign over the dog to RSPCA’s care because they could not get vet treatment for the pet.
After the RSPCA obtained Daisy, the organization brought her to a vet,where she was scanned for a microchip, and her true identity was revealed. According to aFacebook postfrom the RSPCA, the information on the microchip alerted the RSPCA that the dog was stolen and led the nonprofit to Daisy’s original owners, who still deeply missed the pet.
“She really is the sweetest girl and will wag her tail whenever she sees you, but since she was stolen, it is clear she has had a hard life,” Andy Cook, a behavioral welfare adviser for the RSPCA, told the BBC, adding that the dog’s health issue signaled that she could’ve spent time with a backyard breeder.
Daisy the Labrador Retriever reunites with her family.RSPCA via Storyful
RSPCA via Storyful
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Walters immediately contacted Rita and Philip to share that their long-lost companion had been found alive.
“I was a bit choked [up] from listening to them and clearly how much they love her,” Walters said, adding, “They were obviously shocked but elated at the same time.”
Now that Daisy’s back home again, Rita and Philip intend to make up for lost time.
source: people.com
