Jackson, a miniature Australian shepherd, was stolen Dec. 14, 2019, from the Bernal Heights area of San Francisco, according to Don Belton, public information officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Control and Care.
The dog’s family contacted several media outlets for help, created the website BringJacksonHome.com, and offered a $7,000 “no questions asked” reward for the safe return of Jackson.
After months of searching, the family gave up hope for finding Jackson; but on Monday, April 20, Jackson was brought into the Palmdale Animal Care Center after someone found him and thought he was a stray.
The center scanned Jackson’s microchip and was able to contact his owner, identified as Ms. Talermo.
Talermo initially thought the call was a prank, but the center sent her a photo of Jackson, and she called friends in the area to pick Jackson up.
Jackson and Talermo were reunited about 4 a.m. Tuesday, April 21, according to DACC. [View the happy reunion below]
“It was an incredible experience! Everyone was so kind and empathetic towards the situation,” Talermo said.
Los Angeles County Department of Animal Control and Care’s Director Marcia Mayeda is hoping this story will encourage everyone to microchip their pet and keep the registry information up to date.
UPDATE: 27-year-old Nicholas Bravo of Palmdale was arrested April 17 on a warrant for felony grand theft for stealing Jackson, according to the San Francisco Police Department. At the time of the arrest, the suspected dognapper was already in custody at the San Joaquin County Jail for an unrelated incident. Days later, on April 20, San Francisco Police detectives learned that Jackson had been surrendered to the Palmdale Animal Care Center as a stray. Jackson was reunited with his owner one week after his sixth birthday. View the San Francisco Police Department news release at: https://www.sanfranciscopolice.org/news/san-francisco-police-make-arrest-locate-jackson-dog-taken