An elderly dog who was reunited with her delighted owners after she had been stolen from their garden in 2017 has enjoyed her first year living back in her beloved family home.
An emotional video showing Daisy returning to her owners, Rita and Philip Potter, after she had been missing for eight years made international headlines in February last year when she was found by the RSPCA in poor condition and returned to them.
The couple, who never gave up hope of her being found, struggled to hold back tears as Daisy wagged her tail furiously and her eyes widened as she sniffed around and recognised her family and her former home.
Now a year on, Daisy has settled back into family life and is enjoying the home comforts that she had clearly missed out on after she was stolen by suspected backyard breeders and was subjected to a hard life.
The golden Labrador, aged 13, may now be deaf and her joints are a bit stiff, but she acts like a puppy making up for those lost playful years.
Rita 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 round 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.
“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 home feel complete again.”
At the time Daisy went missing, the couple told how they “never gave up hope on her being found one day”, but knowing she would be elderly they did begin to wonder if she had passed away and they would never find out what happened to her.
Rita said: “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 when she was stolen and actor Tom Hardy even shared the story.
“We kept a photograph on the mantelpiece and would look at it every day, thinking of her and where she might be. So when the RSPCA found her and returned her to us – we just thought our prayers had been answered.
“Now she is back into the swing of things like she never left and she seems to think she is a puppy again. We are loving having her here where she belongs.”
It was in November 2017 when 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.
They also set up a petition which attracted 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 offence 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 they were given the news they had been praying for – that Daisy had been found alive at the grand old age of 13 on February 2 last year.
She was discovered by RSPCA Inspector Kim Walters during routine investigations in Weston-Super-Mare. When she saw Daisy, she was concerned about her condition, as she had a number of untreated mammary masses.
Her owner claimed 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.
The inspector rushed Daisy to a vet’s and a scan for a microchip revealed she was stolen and had contact details for Rita and Philip.
Kim 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.”
Daisy was taken into the care of the RSPCA North Somerset Branch, Brent Knoll Animal Centre where she had further vet examinations and was in need of a bath and grooming. She was also given a lot of TLC which she lapped up with her tail wagging constantly.
Andy Cook, behavioural welfare adviser at the branch (pictured with Kim and Daisy above) said: “When we examined Daisy, she had been used for backyard breeding and she has a number of mammary masses; she has slight hip dysplasia and her coat was quite dirty when she came to us as though she had not been groomed for many years. Since she was stolen, it is clear she has had a hard life.
“I am so happy to see her progress and enjoying life with her family now – it is so heartening.”
When she was returned home to the delighted couple, Daisy was greeted by the extended family, who were all desperate to shower her with much-needed affection (pictured).
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. 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 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.”
