A potential tragedy has turned into elation for a couple whose dog was taken from their home in Dubbo five days ago.
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Todd and Tracey Richards woke up on Thursday morning, 7 July, to find their French Bulldog Pearl missing. Tracey was quick to put the word out on social media and on Tuesday morning, 12 July they received a phone call from police to tell them their dog had been found - along with two other missing dogs - dumped on the side of the road at Gilgandra.
"We were just absolutely gobsmacked, it's like waking up from a bad dream," Pearl's owner Todd Richards said.
"It's given me a newfound respect for anyone that has a missing family member or friend," Pearl's owner Tracey Richards said.
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"Everyone's pets are like heir family and these people - these scum - that take pets and they don't understand the way in which people regard their pets... We're stoked," Mr Richards said.
"I can only say it's thanks to my wife Tracey for just relentlessly walking the streets - and she felt like a lunatic at the time - if she didn't do what she had done I don't really believe they [the dogs] would have been found."
Superintendent Danny Sullivan APM Commander of Orana Mid-Western Police District said an investigation is ongoing into the theft of the dogs.
"The difficult thing with crime is we haven't had a lot of reports. Certainly these three dogs were reported to us and we put an investigation together and I'm very happy there's been a resolution. But I often see matters getting circulated on social media that makes people fearful of things that aren't being reported," Superintendent Sullivan said.
"The key, is if you feel you've been a victim of crime, report it to us.
"Anyone who has any information about the theft of any animal, but particularly these three dogs, we want to hear from you..."