Stolen Bulldog Returned To Owners

Melady the English bulldog was taken from a holding cage at the animal shelter in Lawrenceburg.

Melady was stolen from an outdoor cage at PAWS of Dearborn County Human Center, says owner Leslie Allen. The bulldog was safely returned to her family on Sunday. Photo provided.

(Greendale, Ind.) – A stolen bulldog is back at home after being taken from a Lawrenceburg animal shelter.

Leslie Allen says her family’s English bulldog, Melady, was returned to them Sunday, two days after she vanished from PAWS of Dearborn County Humane Center.

The Allens first lost Melady when she slipped out of the family’s Greendale home Thursday. Luckily, a person in the area found Melady and turned her in to the Greendale Police Department.

Leslie says officers took the bulldog to PAWS’ center that night so that she could be kept safe until they could determine her owners. Melady was left in an outdoor, fenced holding area at the animal shelter.

The Allens eventually notified police they were the dog's owners, but when they went to recovery Melady at PAWS, the volunteers there had no idea she had ever been dropped off, according to Leslie. A review of surveillance footage at the shelter revealed an unidentified woman had stolen the bulldog from the fenced area at around 6:00 a.m. Friday., she said.

The Allens took to social media to plead for her family’s beloved pet’s safe return, even offering a reward. They wanted the person who took Melady to bring her back safe, no questions asked and no charges pressed.

“We just want out dog back. Is she being mistreated? Is she being hurt?” Leslie said Saturday.

In a happy update Sunday, Leslie said the bulldog was returned to her by a woman who claimed her boyfriend had stolen the dog.

“I told her no questions asked, we would not press charges, but this caused my family a lot of heartache and I feel like she knew what she was doing,” Leslie said.

Meanwhile, Melady seems a little out of sorts and trying to get back to normal. Leslie says they plan on taking her to the vet for a checkup.