Home Again: But What Happened to Smokey Is a Wake-Up Call for Pet Owners

CRANSTON, RI — Smokey, the English bulldog, has a bit of a Sherlock Holmes look, but he needed some detectives last week to find him. The dog came home safe after he was nabbed from his yard on Wentworth Avenue. He's scared to go out now, his family said on Facebook. But everybody's overjoyed to have him home. The one-year-old blue English bulldog is worth about $3,000, but his value goes beyond money. The children love him as a family member.

According to Cranston police Maj. Todd Patalano, here is as much as we know about the story.

Smokey's owner told police she saw an older model gray car, maybe a Toyota Camry, parked facing her home. That was around 8:30 p.m. on April 19. The car sat there for about two hours. Then on April 20, around the same time of night, she saw the same car again. Then on April 21, around 9:30 p.m., she let her dogs out in the fenced-in back yard. When she went back to check on them about seven minutes later, Smokey was gone.

In those seven minutes, she didn't see or hear anything. Smokey didn't bark, either. She searched for him until about 1 a.m.

He wasn't wearing a collar. She printed up posters and went to pounds looking for him. She also posted on Facebook.

Cranston police put his picture and story on their Facebook page and asked for the public's help. Over 2,000 people shared the post. Then on Sunday, his owner went out looking for Smokey again. When she came home, she found him tied to a rope in her back yard. She is thanking Cranston police and everyone who shared the story on social media.

The Cranston police are still investigating and may press charges, Maj. Patalano said. Meanwhile, given a similar near dog-napping in Warwick, police are advising people not to leave their dogs outside unattended, even if they have fenced-in yards. Don't leave them alone in cars and don't leave them outside stores, even if you're coming back right away, police also say.