Our dog found after 10 years!

[brenx]

I had a random phone call from my ex-wife today.

My ex-wife had a phone call from the pound in Pakenham, Vic which is the suburb I actually live. They had found a golden retriever we had when we were together named "Riley".

The story is Riley is a pure breed male undesexed golden retriever pup that we bought for $1200 12 years ago. My ex had her cousin look after Riley for a little bit. Once he escaped under the fence but the 2nd time Riley had no way to escape as all the fence footings had been dog proofed. My ex's cousin got home to no dog, no holes and no gates open. Guess what? Someone stole the dog! Riley was stolen from a house in Doveton.

I honestly thought he'd passed on. Now 10 years on someone has been looking after him and possibly bred him. Which disappoints me a little. He's obviously escaped from them and now will be reunited with my ex and my 2 children.

Seeing I live in Pakenham, I am on the look out for lost dog signs. As I will contact them to inform them the dog has been found and also to inform them that Riley was stolen 10 years ago and will be returning to his rightful home and owners.

[XW-BAXR6T]

Good to hear a happy ending, im stoked for you. You have a lot of catching up to do. So he/she definitely recognize you guy's after all those years?

[brenx]

I don't know yet. My ex went to see Riley today apparently. He can't come home till Monday the vet says. I will see him next weekend when I pick my kids up for my access visit.

[hawkgirl]

thats pretty cool

[ratter]

how good is that, hope he remembers you

[FPV-HSV]

Great to hear! Cant believe after 10 years you got him back congrats!

Cheers
Travis.

[LG17]

Just wow!!!!

[FPV8U]

Amazing story, hope you can somehow track down who had him all this time, I was very worried about someone stealing our German Shepherd for the first 12 months.

[jaydee]

Did the dog appear to remember you guys at all? I suppose 10 years might be a bit too long though.

[brenx]

Originally Posted by jaydee

Did the dog appear to remember you guys at all? I suppose 10 years might be a bit too long though.

He may do but I don't think he will. Not sure if Riley would recognize my ex-wife as that's who'd have him. Riley spent more time with me during the 2 years we had him. My daughter only saw Riley when she was very young and my son had only just been born. Riley wasn't real fond of the kids as they pulled his long fur.

Riley used to spent quite a bit of time with another dog we had called Oska (3yo pure breed boxer) and myself. Oska seemed to be the smarter on of the two but Riley was still very loved and missed when he disappeared.

Oska I re-homed to an awesome bloke who worked at the Pakenham tip. He took Oska to work and was rarely apart from him. I visited a few times as I missed him.

I can't house Riley here as I have 2 dogs here already. A maltese shih tzu and a Kelpie cross which keep my hands full they are both almost 3 years old.

[trentski]

your boxer was the smart one? LOL

amazing story

[zoesgift]

theres a very good chance the dog will remember you guys as scent is what dogs recall not what we look like. that's why they bark at a guy well before he is walking past the house, they smell well before they see. nice story!

[STINKY NINJA]

Originally Posted by trentski

your boxer was the smart one? LOL

amazing story

Dogs are only as smart as their owners...
To the op,im stoked you found your dog,hope it all works out!

[MrEL]

Ill go against the grain here and probably get flamed but if you locate the home he was living in for the past 10 years , go around and check out its a good home.
Then take him back.
10 years is a long time in a dogs life. You have grieved for your loss already and say yourself you cant house him.
If he is happy , don't put the poor old guy through the upheaval of a new home and new (to him) owners.
Its a hard one but sometimes we have to look past our own happiness.

[AndyXR6T]

Originally Posted by MrEL

Ill go against the grain here and probably get flamed but if you locate the home he was living in for the past 10 years , go around and check out its a good home.
Then take him back.
10 years is a long time in a dogs life. You have grieved for your loss already and say yourself you cant house him.
If he is happy , don't put the poor old guy through the upheaval of a new home and new (to him) owners.
Its a hard one but sometimes we have to look past our own happiness.

I'm with you on this one mate. Was thinking the exact same thing. Obviously we don't know the full details of how Riley went missing and even if he's been in the same place the last 10 years, but that's a bloody long time that he's been away from the op. I'm torn as to what is right here: How there's finally justice for someone whos had something taken from them, and, how the dog is going to handle all of this

[Dave R]

Jeez 10 years is a long time, I kind of feel the same way as MrEL though, whoever's been caring for him for the last decade or so (assuming it isn't the ratbag who stole him) will be going through a very hard time right now and then to be potentially told that the dog is fine but they won't be getting it back, that's tough man.

[brenx]

The Riley is microchiped. The person who stole him whether he was looked after or not should have been returned. That's how the vet found my ex wife. Every time I have had my dogs at a vet they scan the chip to make sure you are the owner. Why in 10 years this hasn't happened I don't know. Theft is theft we still have Rileys papers. If someone stole your car and it was found wouldn't you want it back? Or would you say nah the person who stole it looks like they've looked after it so they can keep it. As tough as it might be my ex and I spent good $ on a pure breed dog which we planned to breed him when he got older so we could have a pup. To throw another thought out there. What if it was your child stolen? I know I wouldn't take the she'll be right attitude.

Now the person who lost/stole him can suffer like my family did. They deserve to be king hit.

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[mex351]

That's how the vet found my ex wife.


LOL...

[brenx]

I rang my ex-wife this morning. Riley recognizes my ex-wife and my daughter of whom was only 3-4 years old when he was stolen. Riley isn't gold anymore he's white and grey which is to be expected. His teeth are in poor shape I am told but other than that Riley is the same dog. Riley had his same mannerisms as he did when he was younger and still did things on command when asked by my daughter who's now 14 years old. Riley attended dog training school when he was young. My daughter was crying and very happy to see Riley. The vet at the pound says Riley needs to be with them 8 days before being released. My ex has already told them she's happy to pay for any incurred bills.

On further info my ex tells me the gates padlock was cut when Riley was stolen.

[poppa smurf]

well done, cant help but wonder what he went through, we can only assume and hope he was looked after.

I really hope he remembers you all and his life is good from now on.

[Cobramad]

Always remember he is now an old boy and needs lots of TLC..
Enjoy your mate!

[jcxr]

Brendan, put some posters out/look for posters about the dog and if you find out the previous minder of the dog I reckon you have a big chance of them being the thieves. Suss em out they may have been previous neighbours, or friends off?

[Cobramad]

He may have been stolen and then on-sold, so tread carefully.

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by Cobramad

He may have been stolen and then on-sold, so tread carefully.

This, could be more than one innocent party involved here.

[mik]

i think he will remember you no worries, brings back memories of my own lab, all black in color, had him for 14 years, great temperament on these dogs, balled me eyes out like a little girl when i had to put him down due to arthritis.

[03 GHIA]

While I agree that he may have been sold on to another person, to me, no responsible dog owner wouldn't get their dog micro-chipped.
So I would expect it to have been owned by the person who stole him, otherwise the original microchip would have been found.

[The Yeti]

We had a dog 15 years ago, due to a number of reasons we had to find a new home for him

We found what we thought was a good home and gave them the documents to get the details on the micro chip changed,

Fast forward 6 years I received a call from a council near where we re homed him saying he had been found,

I went to the hose of the people who took him to inform them that the dig had been found, only to be told he was sick so they phoned the council and told them they had found him

The dog was not healthy and passed away before I got their the following morning

My point is don't get too caught up in the romance of him coming home after 10 years, 12 years is an old lab, and perhaps the people who have been housing him are as bigger ****** as the ones who had ours

I do hope it all works out well for all involved (including Riley)

[brenx]

Vet at pound says he's in good health apart from the teeth. They tend to live 15-18 years he's got plenty of life left in him.

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[Papa Smurf]

I am glad that the Dog has been reunited with the rightful family and I think you are fortunate that your Ex was willing to contact you and let you know. My ex didn't even bother telling me my eldest son had broken his arm while away on holidays over 20 years ago, I found out 4 weeks later. :(

[jpblue1000]

A dog or any animal should not be regarded as property, but as sentient beings with feelings, emotions and needs. Needs that should be greater than our own feelings of legal entitelement. Determine the cause of the dogs departure, persue the culprits but don't act in a way which may punish the dog...dont assume they are any less important or have less rights that your children.
JP