DNA testing returns dog to her rightful owner

What can you do when your little dog goes missing from your yard and someone in the neighborhood has her and won’t give her back?

Without a microchip or a tattoo to prove ownership, there is not much law enforcement can do to return the dog when she is in the possession of someone else.

That was the situation with Cliff, 56, and Darlene Rychman, 53, a couple from Hamilton, Ontario. About a year ago they let then 5-year-old Molly, a Shih Tzu, and their other dog, Howey, Molly’s father, out in the backyard. The gate wasn’t closed tightly and Molly went off on a doggie grand adventure.

They advertised in the local newspaper, TV, and put up flyers. They even consulted a pet psychic. They got a tip  that right after Molly went missing a woman had seen two people pick up a Shih Tsu and take her into their apartment. However the people denied that they had their dog even though the  Rychmans confronted them while they were walking with Molly.

"Seeing Molly just walking away from me ... she was going nuts when she seen me and my husband," Darlene said. "And I just broke down because I couldn't take my dog and these people wouldn't give me my dog back."

Finally, after a year of crying and praying to get their dog back, the couple came up with the idea of DNA testing to show that Molly was the daughter of Howey. The couple paid $110 for DNA tests for the two dogs.

The tests showed that Molly was indeed Howey’s daughter, and she was returned to the Rychmans. Darlene is thankful to the two officers who worked on the case and plans to get Molly a microchip.

More from the Hamilton Spectator. Thanks to Steve Bartlett

Comments

[Tammy]

Wow! That's a really amazing use of a DNA test. I find it sad that neighbors would do something like this, when the little dog was obviously attached to the people...

I'm very happy to hear that Molly is back at her rightful home!

[Khyra]

I'm fur charges too...

[Lynne]

How heart breaking. So,glad it had a happy ending. Those people need to go to jail.

[Wendy]

Such a bitter sweet story. I feel sorry for Molly's 'rescuers' as I'm sure they loved her too, but I'm really happy she ended up back with her family.

[Mark]

I just came across your blog on "battle of the blogs" and found this story very interesting as I'm currently preparing for the UK general election and one of the policies under discussion is the routine DNA testing of dogs.

[cube]

A month or so ago a male pit bull and a juvenile pit mix came into our yard - both without collars. The adult male didn't come near us, but the puppy came to us and decided to stay. Mr. Cube drove around the neighborhood, we checked local shelters, and there was nothing.

Long story short, after about 5 days while on a daily walk, the puppy began to make
motions towards a particular house. Mr. Cube let him off the leash & he ran towards his house and scratched at the door.

Needless to say, the woman who answered the door was happy to see him, but she hadn't done anything in the neighborhood to find her missing dog.

This was a cool, little dog, but we went out of our way towards getting him back to his owners than his own owners did. That's not the way it is suppposed to work.

Some people aren't proactive when it comes to getting back their lost pets. If you don't collar and tag your pet, you stand a strong likelihood of losing it.

[jackie]

I would have just cracked someones head open and taken my dog.

[jansfunnyfarm]

So glad they got their dog back. That would be horrible, to not be able to take your own dog home.

[Chloe]

That's awesome! Now, they have Molly back =) Nice!

[Clive]

Great they got their dog back but amazing it took a year to think about doing a DNA test!

[Steve Bartlett]

No charges were laid; the dog wasn't actually stolen. A few years ago I came home one night with my dog Lisa to find a golden retriever on my front lawn. No collar or tags. I brought him into my house and left him there when I went to work the next morning. I called the SPCA to report finding him, and the owner called me about 2 hours later (I'd given the SPCA permission to pass on my phone # if the owner called). It turned out he lived up the street and had "done this before". I resisted the urge to call the owner a big fat idiot and he did get his dog back.

[pam]

One of my dogs belonged to a woman who would routinely let her dogs run free in the neighborhood. She gave the dog to me when she moved out of state. Afterwards, when I'd walk him, neighbors would remark how they used to take him in and feed him. They'd thought he was a stray. He was never tagged or chipped.