A New Jersey man was reunited with his Yorkshire terrier a year after the dog was stolen from his car, according to news reports.
John Tomasulo was moving from Florida to Wall Township, New Jersey, last January when he stopped in Richmond, Virginia, to buy a sandwich, he told WCBS. While he was in a store, someone broke the window on his car and took the dog.
Just before Christmas the dog, named Buddah, was turned in to Richmond Animal Care and Control, NJ.com reported. The staff found a microchip and eventually tracked down Tomasulo.
He was surprised and delighted to hear Buddah had been found but was unable to drive to Virginia to pick up his dog.
That’s when shelter volunteer Jillian Phillips stepped in. She drove Buddah from Virginia to New Jersey.
“When I heard the story, all I could think of was my dog and if something like that had happened to my dog I just hope some somebody out there would be willing to make the drive,” Phillips told WCBS.
The animal shelter said on its Facebook page: “In the world of animal welfare it’s easy to slip into a negative frame of mind. So many animals in need, heinous crimes being committed and cruelty investigations tend to cloud our perception from time to time. We all needed a little reminder that this world is full of wonderful people and that love and kindness will always win.”