Missing dog returned to owner after being snatched off Miami Gardens street by stranger

By GAIL LEVY, KEVIN BOULANDIER

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    MIAMI LAKES, Florida (WSVN) — A missing dog has been returned to his owner, days after he was picked up by a stranger in a Miami Gardens neighborhood.

After 7News posted the surveillance video of Tato, a 2-and-a-half-year-old micro bully, being taken from a busy street on Sunday, somebody saw the story and returned him to his rightful owners.

Tato’s owner, Joammier Callejas, is deaf, but his friend Bernando Marte helps him communicate with others.

Speaking with 7News Wednesday night, Marte said Callejas is happy to have Tato back.

“He loves him very much, and he’s super excited that he’s able to have him back,” said Marte.

7News cameras captured Tato playing with his sister at the barber shop in Miami Lakes where Callejas works.

The happy reunion comes days after video captured a woman picking up Tato and putting him in her car at the corner of Northwest 47th Avenue and 186th Street.

Tato’s sister was behind him, but she turned around and came back home.

Both dogs are said to have gotten out through the front door of the home.

Marte said Callejas hasn’t slept well since Tato was taken.

“A lot of sleepless nights, you know, the heart was broken,” said Marte.

Callejas was afraid he would never see Tato again, as the dog did not have a microchip.

But on Wednesday, Marte said, a young man came knocking on his door.

“We’re not too sure exactly the story, but what we got from it was he found the dog through the girl, and he said, ‘Hey, that’s not your dog,’ and he took the dog and kept it for a couple of days,” said Marte.

Thanks to the surveillance video, the man was able to find the right door to knock on and return the dog.

“He said he went back and watched the news, and he saw the address on the house,” said Marte.

Now, the family is back together again after a grateful act from a stranger.

“It was like tears of joy, you know, happy that he was home,” said Marte.

The family said they plan to microchip Tato on Thursday to make sure he never gets lost again.

Callejas also offered to give the young man a free haircut as a thank-you in returning the dog.

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