An elderly dog, stolen from her owners in 2017, has marked one year back in her beloved family home.
Norfolk-based couple Rita and Philip Potter were left devastated when Daisy, a golden Labrador, was stolen from their back garden eight years ago.
The couple never gave up hope of a miracle reconciliation and their patience was rewarded after she was discovered by a heroic RSPCA worker.
Daisy has now marked a year of being settled back into family life, which she has spent making up for lost time.
The golden Labrador, aged 13, is now deaf and her joints are a bit stiff, but her owners say this has done little to dampen her playful mood.
Mrs Potter said: “It is wonderful to have Daisy back and she is like a puppy again. She may be older and not as agile but she still remembers her old tricks and loves running around in a circle when I put my hand out to her to play.
“She is deaf now as well but it doesn’t hold her back and we use hand signals to help her.
“She has settled back in so well and loves to laze in the garden in the sun or snuggle up in the room with us.”
The Potter family is a whole once more
|RSPCA
She added: “She loves playing and is not nervous at all - which you might have expected after all she has been through.
“It is so wonderful to have her back - she has made our homes feel complete again.”
Daisy was found by the RSPCA in a poor condition eight years after she was stolen by suspected backyard breeders, who subjected her to a hard life.
Daisy’s theft made headlines in November 2017 after witnesses saw the pooch being snatched from her garden and bundled into a truck which then sped off.
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Daisy was spotted during a routine RSPCA patrol
|RSPCA
The police were alerted but were unable to track down the vehicle - which is believed to have had false number plates.
Undeterred, the couple launched a number of press and social media appeals to try and locate their beloved dog.
They also set up a petition which garnered 100,000 signatures calling on the Government to do more to tackle pet theft.
Their calls were answered in 2024 when the Government introduced the Pet Abduction Bill, which included the introduction of a specific offence for people to steal a dog or cat before they were treated the same as possessions such as a mobile phone.
The adorable pooch has put up with a lot over the years
|RSPCA
After nearly a decade without any sightings, the couple were finally given the news they had been praying for.
Daisy was found alive at the age of 13 on February 2 last year.
Routine investigations in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, yielded the miracle discovery after RSPCA inspector Kim Walters spotted the ailing dog.
Ms Walters rushed Daisy to a veterinary clinic for a scan and thanks to her microchip, her owners were informed.
The Potters have been making up for lost time
|RSPCA
Ms Walters said: “I remember being choked when I contacted them and they were obviously shocked - but elated at the same time. They told me about all the efforts that they had gone to great lengths to try and find her and how devastated they were when she was taken from them.
“I am so glad to hear she is doing so well with her adoring family it is so heartwarming to see how she has settled back into a home life with the comforts and love she so deserves.”
The pooch was taken into the care of the RSPCA North Somerset Branch where she underwent further examinations and was treated to a well-deserved pampering.
The RSPCA said Daisy’s case stresses the importance of having pets microchipped so if they are stolen or lost they can be reunited with their owners if they are found.
An RSPCA spokesman said: “We’re currently in the midst of an animal welfare crisis with rescue centres 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.”