It’s a horrible thing when your dog gets lost. The feeling of powerlessness you feel in that moment is something that’s impossible to describe.
Despite not being able to do much, you spend every second of every day just trying to do anything you can to make sure he gets home safely.
Something similar happens to the woman in this story. The only difference is, her story takes an unusual turn.
A Terrible Accident
In February of 2023, the Jones’ family was shaken by a terrible tragedy when their dog, named Bella, went missing and they couldn’t find him.
Apparently, the dog had no microchip or tags, which meant that finding the dog would be difficult, and anyone who found the dog by accident wouldn’t know whose dog it actually is.
They had called the Nebraska Humane Society and told them to keep a lookout on a dog that looked like Bella, and to call them if they found her.
Still, the family did what they could, and small hope came when they found Bella in the Nebraska Humane Society.
After they explained to the staff that the dog was actually theirs, they were surprised to learn that someone had already signed adoption papers for Bella and she was to be taken to her new family.
This absolutely crushed Rebecca, so she pleaded with the staff to give her dog back, but legally, they just couldn’t do anything about it.
Nebraska has a 72-hour rule where a pet becomes the property of the human society after being found. This was a deal sealer.
Despite being reported missing, the staff at the shelter hadn’t known that the dog was Rebecca’s, so they put her up for adoption.
A Plea To The New Family
Despite her best efforts, it seemed like Bella was going to be taken to a new family. In her statement to WOWT, Jones said:
We could show them everything they needed, and they wouldn’t listen to us at all. They didn’t say, ‘Walk up here every day; we may not be able to contact you.’ I would’ve done that.
The staff at the humane society felt horrible about the situation, so they decided to make a plea to the new family and ask if they would return the dog to its rightful owner.
The new family understood the situation, and immediately took Bella back to Rebecca and the two were finally reunited.
In a Facebook post, the Nebraska Humane Society stated: The new adopters were gracious and kind, and while it was difficult, they agreed to relinquish the dog back to the shelter so the original owners could take the dog home.
We are sorry for the way the situation played out, but truly appreciate that the dog is back home and the adopting family is willing to open their doors to a new dog.
One thing to take away from all of this is that it is really important for all dogs to have tags or a microchip as this increases the chance your pet will be found in case he ever goes missing.
Even though the entire situation could have been handled differently, it’s important to remember that the right thing was done in the end to make sure Bella was reunited with her family.
Mistakes happen to all of us sometimes, and it’s important to learn from them and make sure they do not happen again.
