When Shona Macleod and his family purchased a French Bulldog named Roxie, they were delighted to welcome one into their home and into their lives. Sadly, it won’t last long.
When he was just 18 weeks old, the puppy was captured from the family’s front garden in Carlisle, Uk. The theft happened in March 2017, after many months of searching, the family had to give up in finding their beloved dog.
Take a nap for the dog already added value, with trendy dog breeds like French Bulldogs usually the goal.
Dog breeders take their dogs with them and can remove their microchips and resell or breed them to puppies for sale (for $1,500 and $3,000 per puppy).
It’s a horrible industry, and many families whose dogs have been stolen eventually never see them again.
Thankfully, that’s not the case for Roxie and the Macleod family.
Based on BBC, members of the stray dog team spotted Roxie walking through Rickerby Park on October 30, 2021 – the dog’s 5th birthday.
It’s been 4 years and 7 months since Roxie was stolen, and she’s finally about to be reunited with her family! The team of wild dogs used Roxie’s microchip to identify her owner as Shona Macleod.
Shona shared a post about being reunited with the puppy on Facebook, saying she couldn’t believe her luck:
In an interview with the BBC, Shona said, “I thought it was my new dog that had escaped from the garden when I saw the council worker with a dog at the door. I burst into tears when I realized it was Roxie.”
The Macleods purchased another French Bulldog in early 2021 after years of missing Roxie. In addition, they have added two more children to their family since Roxie went missing!
Although a lot has changed in the nearly 5 years since her passing, it seems Roxie is settling into her new life just fine.
In an interview with News and Stars, Shona said, “I think she knew who I was and she completely settled back in immediately as if she had never left.”
Although the dog has no fleas, she appears to be in good health. Macleods believes she gave birth to at least one litter of puppies during her time away.
Speaking to News and Stars, she said, “I think it was bred and after a few litters it was thrown away. She has fleas and needs a bath but otherwise she is fine.”
As always, it’s important to microchip your pets and keep your contact information up to date. Without the microchip, it is unlikely that Roxie would have reunited with her family. We’re so glad her story ended the way it did!
