Carlisle family reunited with dog stolen four years ago

Five-year-old Roxie has settled back into family life without a problem, her owner said

A dog stolen four-and-a-half years ago has been returned to her owners after being picked up as a stray.

French bulldog Roxie was 18 weeks old when she was taken from Shona Macleod's Carlisle front garden in March 2017.

She was spotted wandering in Rickerby Park on 30 October - her 5th birthday - by the council's stray dog team and was identified through her microchip.

Ms Macleod said Roxie had now settled back at home "like she's never been away".

The mum of three said: "I thought it was my new dog that had escaped from the garden when I saw the council worker with a dog at the door.

"I cried my eyes out when I realised it was Roxie."

In the four years and eight months since Roxie went missing, the family has grown with two more children and another French bulldog called Bear who Ms Macleod bought earlier this year.

Good condition

She said: "Bear is much bigger but quite dopey and just loves Roxie, they're both getting on together so well."

Ms Macleod said she believed Roxie had had puppies during those years while she was away.

Roxie (right) is getting on well with other family pet Bear (left)

Although the dog was found dirty and with fleas, she was otherwise in good condition, she said.

"She's not timid, so although she hasn't been looked after properly I don't think she's been badly treated," Ms Macleod said.

She is urging dog owners to get their pets microchipped, which gives the animal a unique code that can be scanned and matched to the owner's contact details.

A Carlisle City Council spokesperson said: "This case shows how important it is to get your dog microchipped and also to keep the details up to date.

"When our stray dog service found her we were able to check the microchip and get the registered details of the person who reported her stolen."