Emotional reunion between owners and dog stolen eight years ago

By Lauren Beavis

\Watch the emotional moment pet owners were reunited with their family dog in a 'miracle' - after she was stolen from their back garden eight years ago.

Beloved Daisy was snatched in 2017 by suspected back-yard breeders who bundled her into a truck parked outside her home.

But she has since been found and has now settled into her old lifestyle and "has filled a big void" in her family's hearts.

Rita, 80, and Philip Potter, 88 struggled to contain their emotions when Daisy was returned home last month (Feb. 6), at their home in Old Buckenham, Norfolk - after they spent eight years searching and praying for her safe return.

Rita said: “Daisy coming back home has filled a huge void in our hearts and I just can’t believe we have her with us again - it really is a miracle."

The couple said they "never gave up hope on her being found one day” but knowing she was aged 13-years-old, they did begin to wonder if she had passed away, never knowing what had happened to her.

Rita explained: “Not knowing if she was safe or if she was loved was awful for us and we did everything we could to find her including big appeals on social media which went across the world.

“We kept a photograph on the mantlepiece and would look at it every day thinking of her and where she might be. So it is an absolute dream come true that the RSPCA found her and returned her to us - where she belongs - we are so, so grateful.

“The whole family was so excited to hear the news that my grandchildren went to buy her toys and treats and they are all lavishing lots of attention on her now. Everyone who meets her loves her. She is adorable and she is the same lovely girl we had before.”

Daisy was reunited with her family, in a moment caught on the heart-warming video, after she was discovered by RSPCA Inspector Kim Walters during routine investigations in Weston-Super-Mare in Somerset on 2 February.

Kim came across Daisy and was concerned about her condition as she had a number of untreated mammary masses.

Her then-owner told the inspector that he had only had the dog for a few years and said he could not take her for the vet treatment she needed so he agreed to sign her over into the care of the animal welfare charity.

Kim took Daisy to a vet’s and a scan for a microchip - which then revealed she was stolen and had the up-to-date contact details for Rita and Philip.

The couple had been desperate for Daisy's return and never gave up hope.

It was back in November 2017 that Daisy’s callous theft made news headlines - after witnesses saw her taken from her garden by suspected back-yard breeders who bundled her into a truck parked outside their home, which then sped off.

The couple reported the matter to the police but the vehicle - which is believed to have had false number plates - could not be traced.

Undeterred and desperate to have their beloved dog returned, the couple took part in a number of press and social media appeals to try to locate her with support from actor Tom Hardy who shared their post.

They also set up a petition that gained 100,000 signatures urging the Government to do more to tackle pet theft - a law that was introduced with the Pet Abduction Bill in 2024 making it a specific offense for people to steal a dog or cat when before they were treated the same as possessions such as a mobile phone.

The years went by and there had been no sightings of Daisy until out of the blue last month they were given the news they had been praying for - that Daisy had been found alive at the grand old age of 13.

Since her incredible homecoming, Daisy has undergone veterinary treatment including operations on her enlarged mammary glands, a cyst on her eye and cysts in her neck.

She is now recovering well and remembers her doting owners, her old routine and her love of belly rubs in the garden.

Rita said: “On her first few days home she was forgetting her age and thought she could run around the garden like she used to, so we have to keep her on the lead now especially until she recovers from her operations.

"She had a number of issues relating to her age and as she had being used for breeding - which is why we believe she was stolen - none of which had been treated.

“She seems to be getting around much better without the masses which were hanging down and must have caused her discomfort.

“We even get up in the night to check she is ok and still with us - she is so still and quiet we sometimes worry she has stopped breathing, but I think she just sleeps so well as she feels safe and secure and loved again.

“She is fascinated with the grass, I think wherever she had been kept it was void of grass and she loves rolling around on it and having a belly rub.

“In so many ways it is like she has never been away and she remembers her home and her comforts and she likes to snuggle up with me for cuddles or enjoys sunning herself in the garden."

The RSPCA believes Daisy was stolen to be used for backyard breeding and will have endured a hard life and as her fur was so dirty it was clear she had not been groomed for many years.

Kim, who found Daisy, said: “I was thrilled when I found out she had such fantastic owners who were keen to get her back home and lavish her with love and am so pleased she is doing so well and has settled back into a loving life she truly deserves.”

The RSPCA said Daisy’s amazing story shows the importance of having pets microchipped so if they are stolen or lost they can be reunited with their owners like in this case.

They added it also highlights the issues of "unscrupulous puppy dealers" and the charity urges anyone thinking of buying a dog to consider adopting from a rescue centre.

An RSPCA spokesman said: “We’re currently in the midst of an animal welfare crisis with rescue centers overflowing and dogs of all ages and breeds waiting for loving new homes.

“The RSPCA would like to see better enforcement of licensing regulations of puppy breeders and sellers to ensure dogs are being bred with their health and welfare as a priority. For more advice on buying a puppy, use The Puppy Contract.”

The person who stole Daisy has not been traced and anyone with first-hand information can call the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018.