It’s always devastating when a dog disappears, especially when they are stolen. You worry about your pet’s safety and whether you’ll ever find them.
It’s even more distressing when the missing pet is a therapy dog. Many individuals depend on therapy dogs for their daily comfort, and losing one can have a significant impact on their emotional well-being.
This was the unfortunate situation for a family whose beloved dog, a therapy dog for their three autistic sons, was stolen in June. However, there is a heartwarming twist to this story.
Jen Arendt, from Rochester, Minnesota, has three autistic sons who greatly benefit from their therapy dog, a French Bulldog named Sprinkles.
However, in June, the family experienced a heartbreaking ordeal when a woman stole Sprinkles from their front yard, taken from Jen’s 14-year-old son.
As reported by KTTC, the woman fled on foot and managed to escape. The Rochester police sought public assistance in solving this crime.
The incident deeply affected Jen: “It’s absolutely devastating,” she shared with KTTC. “I mean, I thought I could leave them home alone… I can’t leave them home alone, I can’t leave nice items out in my yard.”
However, the impact on her sons was even more profound as they couldn’t understand why their companion had suddenly vanished. “We all just want him back safe, but please, these are 3 boys who just don’t understand (not sure who could) why their best friend was stolen from them,” Jen wrote on Facebook.
“They want their best friend back.”
Adding to the distress, Jen was worried about Sprinkles’ health issues: the dog required ear medication, prompting her to appeal on Facebook for the thief to ensure the dog’s medical needs were met.
Weeks passed with no sign of Sprinkles, despite the family offering a reward for her safe return. Despite the emotional turmoil, Jen encouraged her family to remain hopeful. “I’ve always told the boys, you know, Sprinkles will come back. We just have to be patient,” she expressed to KTTC.
Her faith was soon justified. Recently, the family was pleasantly surprised by the reunion with Sprinkles.
“Someone who was looking after their dog messaged me on Facebook: ‘Hey, I think I have your stolen French Bulldog. We are taking care of him,'” Jen informed KTTC. “And I said: ‘Send me a photo for confirmation,’ and they did.”
It was revealed that Sprinkles had been acquired by a family in St. Paul, unaware that the dog was stolen. Upon seeing Jen’s social media posts, they chose to “do the right thing” and return the dog to her.
“So blessed for that,” expressed Jen.
Unfortunately, French Bulldogs are highly targeted by dog thieves due to their value. Similar incidents, such as the violent theft of Lady Gaga’s bulldogs, have been reported recently.
Although the dog thief remains unidentified, at least this story concludes on a positive note, as Sprinkles is back home after being missing for 9 weeks. The family intends to continue training him to fulfill his role as a therapy dog.
We are delighted that Sprinkles has returned home! It’s unfortunate that someone would snatch a dog from a child’s arms, but we are thankful that the new owners chose to do the right thing by returning him.
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