After 384 days, 1642 miles and 1,000 Man Hours of searching Rags is finally coming home. A dog stolen from an Alabama home last December has been found in Arizona and will soon be reunited with his family.
Olivia Garner was best friends with Rags, a deaf English Sheepdog she had adopted, until the night a masked man broke into her home and took him.
Maricopa Police Department
Olivia says she will never forget returning home after learning that Rags had been stolen and finding her dog’s stuffed piggy toy by the door.
Maricopa Police Department
Olivia offered a $5,000 reward for Rags’ safe return but, after a year, had nearly given up hope. Then, she received a call from authorities: Rags had been found in Arizona. Police in Silver Hill, Alabama, had received a tip about Rags’ location and contacted the Maricopa Police Department. Officers in Maricopa visited the home and located Rags.
However, the people in possession of Rags were uncooperative, providing a false name and a different name on the dog’s collar. Despite this, authorities were able to confirm Rags’ identity by matching his microchip number to his records.
Maricopa Police Department
There have been reports of a custody dispute involving the special-needs sheepdog. The original owners had put Rags up for adoption but later filed a lawsuit to reclaim him. Police confirmed that the individuals in Arizona who had Rags were connected to his original owners in Alabama. But the motive behind Rags’ abduction remains under investigation.
Police in Silverhill wrote on Facebook, “We are so excited to announce that Rags, a dog stolen from our jurisdiction on December 8, 2023, has been found safe! This amazing outcome was only accomplished through countless and tireless hours of investigation by our Detective, Lt. John Hotchkiss, and his partnering with multiple law enforcement agencies. We cannot thank the Maricopa Police Department in Arizona for their tremendous efforts and assistance in this case. This investigation remains open and ongoing with suspects in several states that have been identified.”
Olivia, who was not involved in the custody battle, hopes for an explanation in the future. Regardless, she says her family is eager to welcome Rags back home.
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