A family has been reunited with their beloved dog nearly five-and-a-half years after she was stolen.
Karen Culkin’s chihuahua Bea vanished without a trace just as the world was plunged into the Covid-19 pandemic.
She was playing in the garden with their other dog Lady – her sister – when she disappeared.
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The 68-year-old and her daughter Faye, 34, said they never gave up hope.
They had the black and tan pooch microchipped and reported the theft to cops.
She was taken from their home in Clydesdale Avenue, Penshaw, near Sunderland on 16 January, 2020.
But chuffed Karen then got a call out of the blue that Bea had been found in Newcastle.
She was taken into a vets and was fit and healthy and they were able to contact Karen.
“The day we never thought would come finally arrived,” Faye – who has two daughters Rosie, 12 and eight-year-old Madalyn – told Need To Know.
“And five years, four months, one week and three days of torture is finally over.”
She gushed: “Our hearts are now full again.
“Never ever give up hope.
“The support and cooperation from everyone has been overwhelming and if I could I’d personally thank each and every person.”
They got the call from the Westway Veterinary Group on Monday (26 May) and got her home on Tuesday (27 May)
Karen added: “We finally got her home, our beautiful Bea.
“She is back where she was always meant to be.
“We never gave up.
“Our broken hearts aren’t broken anymore.”
She added: “Please get your dogs chipped, without it we would never have seen Bea again.”
Northumbria Police has been approached for comment.
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