Stolen Dog Reunites with Family, Thanks To Chicago Community
Neha Vashist | Feb 24, 2026, 21:54 IST
Stolen Dog Reunites with Family, Thanks To Chicago Community
Picture this: Amid one of the busiest days, you make an important quick stop. You tie your beloved pet for a couple of minutes to the nearest post by the side of your stop, but on your return, he is no longer there. The panic and distress cannot be described in words, and that is exactly what happened with Erin Franzblau, whose pet Charlie was stolen on February 20 in Chicago. Erin tried her best to find her dog and announced a USD 5000 reward for anyone who could help her reunite with Charlie. Fortunately enough, her efforts and prayers, complemented with the vigilant Chicago community, paid off. Charlie was reunited with his family on February 21.
Read on for more information
According to ABC 7 Chicago, on February 20, around 6 in the evening, Erin tied Charlie outside a local day care. She went in to quickly pick up her three children. However, as soon as she came back, she saw her 5-year-old dog had been stolen.
"We messed up in that I was running from a long day at work. My husband was out of town in Denver. I was alone, picking up three kids: two toddlers and a baby. And, I was rushing," said Erin to the outlet, before adding, "Usually, he jumps up to greet us. He's so excited to greet us, and we both see that he's not there. I start freaking out, asking people where he is."
The surveillance footage showed someone untie Charlie and take him. Though the individual didn’t pose any threat to the dog, Charlie was seen shivering.
As the news started spreading, two individuals identified Charlie at Target as the alleged dog abductor. They picked up his trail and contacted the police. And by February 22, 2026, Charlie was back home with Erin.
Speaking about the same, Erin said, “Charlie is home with us tonight because of our community," Sean said. "It was our friends, neighbors, the news, police, but most incredibly, complete and total strangers. Hundreds, maybe thousands of total strangers that were spreading out around the internet, reaching out to us with tips."
The individuals who helped in Charlie’s rescue were given the USD 5000 reward money.
Celebrate the bond with your pets, explore Health & Nutrition, discover Breeds, master Training Tips, Behavior Decoder, and set out on exciting Travel Tails with Times Pets!
Read on for more information
According to ABC 7 Chicago, on February 20, around 6 in the evening, Erin tied Charlie outside a local day care. She went in to quickly pick up her three children. However, as soon as she came back, she saw her 5-year-old dog had been stolen.
"We messed up in that I was running from a long day at work. My husband was out of town in Denver. I was alone, picking up three kids: two toddlers and a baby. And, I was rushing," said Erin to the outlet, before adding, "Usually, he jumps up to greet us. He's so excited to greet us, and we both see that he's not there. I start freaking out, asking people where he is."
The surveillance footage showed someone untie Charlie and take him. Though the individual didn’t pose any threat to the dog, Charlie was seen shivering.
As the news started spreading, two individuals identified Charlie at Target as the alleged dog abductor. They picked up his trail and contacted the police. And by February 22, 2026, Charlie was back home with Erin.
Speaking about the same, Erin said, “Charlie is home with us tonight because of our community," Sean said. "It was our friends, neighbors, the news, police, but most incredibly, complete and total strangers. Hundreds, maybe thousands of total strangers that were spreading out around the internet, reaching out to us with tips."
The individuals who helped in Charlie’s rescue were given the USD 5000 reward money.
Celebrate the bond with your pets, explore Health & Nutrition, discover Breeds, master Training Tips, Behavior Decoder, and set out on exciting Travel Tails with Times Pets!