WHITEHALL, Mich. – A dog that went missing a week ago has been reunited with its family, and it’s a bounty hunter who is getting the credit for finding the missing pet.
Dexter the Shih Tzu got out of the house last week during bath time. A woman who found him brought him to an animal shelter in Muskegon, but ended up giving him away to a family in the parking lot.
Without their family pet, Dexter’s owners tried everything to find him. A local private investigator heard about the missing dog and decided to play the part as a pet detective.
"We usually chase fugitives that are on the run," says Tommy DePung from Bad Boys Bail Bonds. “We never really chased a dog but we thought we’d give it a shot. Sounded like something cool to do.”
After putting up a reward for $250.00, DePung received a tip that led to the house where he found Dexter.
“The father said if this dog belongs to that family we would want them to have it back just as if we lost our pet we would want our pet back., said DePung.
Back at home, Dexter’s family is thrilled to have their dog returned safely.
"It just seemed like we were both happy to see each other,” says Kaleb Chase, who is one of Dexter’s owners. “And I came right to him and petted him.”
The family who gave Dexter back won’t be without a pet for long. Tommy DePung says a local animal shelter is giving them a replacement dog at no charge.
