I'm happy to hear you got him back, but saddened that some people will use the love of your pet against you in order to try and blackmail you out of your money. your son was smart to take so much backup with him. And (not to use this opportunity for my own means) thank heavens he had tags on him where he could be reunited with the family. 

People~ I hear of creeps like this and I want to scream

But I think of the good people~ I know there are more of these than the bad~ and I take heart.

I am glad all worked out~ that dog looks sweet!

Unfortunately this is the climate we are living in now. I did mention on another blog that there are many good things happening due to the mess in the USA - but this is showing us that there are some so desperate they will even ransom a sweet dog for money be it for rent/food/or drugs. Sad all the way around.

I would have done the same as your son....................literally truck loads of back up!!!!!  My husband's brothers had a bad reputation in the rosedale area and many still remember the "Moore" brothers!!!!! Still don't want to mess with them when it comes to their ladies, kids or pets!!!!!!

I hope they have the pet secured now. The dog had to have gone past some heavy traffic to get to where he was. Every dog and cat should have a collar with i.d. tag. There really are good people who would not have had the lack of morals of the caller. I'm glad all came out o.k. without the violence. Would it have done any good for your son to have called the police?

That's quite story, gsisola! Really glad to hear your son's pup was reunited with his family. He is a beautiful looking young dog. Striking colors! As we read daily, there are lots of people with questionable ethical standards looking to exploit any circumstance for their personal gain. Your son was wise to take buddies along, and fortunate to get the dog back without a violent confrontation. I can say that my wife and I always leave our dog, and cats, indoors when we are out and about. There are just too many things that can go wrong when a dog is outside on his/her own for lengthy periods completely unattended.

I'm so happy that your son & his family are reunited with their beloved pet.  Another reminder for people that have lost their pets is to check craigslist as well as TBC.  Also, if you have any doubts, visit some of the dog parks.  People are kind enough to take pictures & post them along the entrance to the gates.   

How times have changed.  I was/am one of those people that finds lost pets and brings them home.  But back in the day I could walk from block to block & eventually find some kids out playing that knew where the pet (99% of the time it was a dog) belonged.  They were always eager & helpful to find the owners as well.  I would be offered a finders fee for some of the dogs I had for awhile but was never allowed to take it (much to my wanting a few extra dollars in my pocket).  To this day, the joy I see when reuniting a family and their dog is beyond any amount of money. 

I hope those young men grow warts on the tips of their noses.  Shame on them!

I'm glad Smokey was reunited with his family.    A few years back there were people stealing dogs right out of their backyards and then demanding money when they called the phone numbers that they found on the collars.   My friend did not even know his dog was "missing" when he got  called at work   The call came in as private.  He refused their demand  to exchange his money for his dog as he thought it was a hoax.  When he got home from work his dog was gone.  His yard had locked gates and slump block walls.  There was no way this smaller dog had jumped  or dug his way out. The dog nappers had jumped the wall and taken the dog.   He could not call these people back and he never saw his dog again.   We always hoped that these jerks sold the dog to a nice family.

What monumental jerks to ask for a dog ransom! IMO, this should be a felony, similar to kidnapping and ransom of a person. Glad you got your doggy back, though, and that your son had the presence of mind (and muscle) to get the dog back without ransom or violence.

PS...I would just love to see some idiot try to get into the backyard with my 105# Boxer. I'd bet I wouldn't have to feed him when I got home....

Related to what notatroll said, I have to wonder if these ransom demanders actually found the dog or if they took him in the first place. The sightings could have just been their friends feeding you a line of you know what.

What jerks! Holding an animal companion for ransom should be a crime. I'm so glad you got your dog back! Now get him chipped.

HI THIS IS STEVES WIFE AND I WANTED TO UPDATE A NEW HAPPENING WITH SMOKEY.  WE FOUND OUT THIS MORNING THAT OUR SON DID PAY THE KID 300 DOLLARS AND COULDNT REALLY DO ANTHING ELSE BECAUSE THERE WAS A COP NEAR THE GAS STATION WERE THIS ALL TOOK PLACE AND HE  (OUR SON) HAD HIS DAUGHTER WTH HIM .WE ARE ALL JUST THANKFUL THAT HE IS NOW HOME. AND BY THE WAY SMOKEY IS USUALLY AT OUR HOUSE DURING THE DAY WHEN THEY ARE NOT HOME.

Steve's wife:  just a question - why didn't your son flag down the officer? Was it because he had his daughter with him and just didn't want any trouble? I can understand that. Could have gotten nasty - how sad.

Its sad to see the way some people think.  I dont have children and my dog is known by my family and friends as "My Daughter", when she was given to me my boyfriend asked me what I would do if someone took my dog and tried to get a ransom.  I would flip, I cant say I would have handled it as well as your son did.  I would have met up with them to get my dog back but it wouldnt have went as nice.  I am glad to hear your son got his baby back.

a zoombak collar would have solved the whole problem. it sends text messages to your phone when your dog leaves the yard, then it sends updates on what street your dog is on.  the clips are great and will not fall off the collar, he should give it a try

http://www.zoombak.com/

The Zoombak is great...as long as the person who takes the dog doesn't remove the collar. Better still would be a chip implanted in the dog itself.

Steve, please tell me your son wrote down the guys license plate...

Bottom line is thankfully Smokey's home!

I hate to tell you that my son and his friends (about eight guys) did go there "ready" to take Smokey back "by force". When the "exchange" took place they all decided that the easiest (and safest) way for this to end was to give "the-aholes" $300... get Smokey back... and be done with it, so that's what they did.

Smokey spent most of the day at our house yesterday.... he did show up limping a bit, sore feet and legs. He at first was a little "distant", not at all the same dog we knew last week. As the day progressed he became accustomed to our house and his old habits. He did play with our other two dogs (golden retrievers) and slept (alot) on his favorite spot on our couch. He did "know" he was safe again and slept most of the day. I got what I wanted... face kisses and hugs. And he did resume one of his favorite habits... plenty of water from the toilet (we have big water bowls in the house and the yard, but he prefers toilet water). It is a joy to know that he is back where he belongs and is no longer "running scared".

Steve

Steve~ I am happy for you all and that dog!

I hate that feeling when you discover that a pet has left the safety of your yard.  Our dog would get out when people who were not familiar with our routine would leave the gates open.   Folks like  PE&E meter readers, gardeners, exterminator, neighborhood children, etc. These days we keep the gates locked.  If you want in you have to be escorted.  I was thinking that Smokey might benefit from a visit to his Vet.  Have him checked for any parasites he may have acquired during his big adventure.  I am so glad you all were reunited.