Good Samaritan spots hound and hands the chihuahua into police

An overjoyed owner of a stolen puppy has been reunited with her pet pooch after a member of the public recognised him from an appeal.

Jacky Donaghy, who works for the Dog’s Trust, Wakley Street, in Finsbury, was “devastated” when seven-month old chihuahua, Frankie, was stolen 10 days ago.

But Dalston construction manager, Tony O’Brien, spotted the dog after recognising him from an appeal in our sister paper the Hackney Gazette and handed him into police.

He said: “I asked local people if they recognised the dog and then popped into the newsagent who said he was in that day’s newspaper.

“There was a also bit of irony as I was in the Gazette a couple of years ago because I lost my dog. It’s great that he has been reunited with his owner.”

Ms Donaghy said: “They said to take him to the dog warden because the police don’t deal with strays anymore.

“But the chap had brought in a copy of the Gazette and because he showed them the article, they were able to scan Frankie and get my number. Of course I went straight out to get him – it was the longest three miles ever.”

She added: “It was just a blur after that, getting him and having him meet my other two dogs, he was over the moon.

“He’s never going to leave my sight now. I have been through absolute hell for the last 10 days.

Miss Donaghy said she thought Frankie had been stolen but then abandoned after her appeal went global on Facebook and Twitter – even getting support from people as far away as America and Australia.

of support.

She said: “Some of them really kept me going; I thought I was never going to see him again. Anybody who has had a dog taken from them should let the whole world know. If these dogs become too known there is less chance of them being stolen in the future.”