Stolen dog reunited with owners in Hartland

 

HARTLAND, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A happy ending tonight after a two-day search for a stolen dog in lake country. 

The dog is home safe, and his family had words of gratitude for not only the community, but also the thief. 

One year old Bo is not your average German Shepherd. He's a lap dog. 

"If you sit on the couch with him, this is how he sits. He sits like a human."

"Just the comfort and the cuddling and just I think anyone who is battling a disease knows that sometimes that’s what you need," said Lisa Cinelli, Bo's owner. 

Lisa's husband, Jim, is battling stage four pancreatic cancer and he always wanted a German Sheperd. 

"He'd always reference cause I have four siblings you know, like, 'which one of you is gonna bring a dog home for me' kind of joking and so in January I went ahead and I found a breeder," said Jake Cinelli.

But last week, Bo got outside the Hartland family's yard and everything stopped. 

"You know we just searched and searched. And definitely a night with very little sleep."

The Richfield Area Pet Clinic caught wind of Bo's disappearance and shared a plea for help. 

A witness saw Bo get into a van and was told by the person in the van that it was her dog. 

Days went by. The family grew anxious. Then, a phone call in Richfield turned it around. 

"I actually thought it was somebody calling that needed to put their dog down because they were crying on the phone and I heard this really small voice say I'm sorry, I have the dog," said Liz Curro Beachem with the Richfield Area Pet Clinic. 

Bo was surrendered to the clinic. It was emotional for all. 

"I truly don't think that we would've been able to find him this fast or at all if they hadn't done the work that they did and I mean they had no obligation to do that," said Jake Cinelli. 

Home at last, Bo's bouncing around his own yard, with a more watchful eye on him now.