Stolen puppy returned to Lexington Humane Society

Thompson, the 10-week-old puppy that was stolen from Lexington’s Humane Society on Tuesday afternoon, has been returned.

“We couldn’t be happier," says Lexington Humane Society’s Ashley Hammond.

Thompson was very tired Wednesday evening, it has been a long 24 hours for the 10-week-old pup.

Around 4 p.m. Tuesday evening, the Humane Society says a man and a women took Thompson out of his cage and walked towards the outdoor puppy play pen area.

When the got near the door, the Humane Society says the man and the woman split up. The man went out to the play pen, while the women went out the front doors to the exterior side of the puppy play fence.

Once the woman was on the other side, the man tossed Thompson over the fence to the woman.

The Humane Society reached out on Facebook and Twitter, trying to get Thompson back. The hashtag #BringThompsonHome started trending nationally.

“It’s heart-warming. We were so devastated yesterday and the community helped us,” Hammond says.
“We couldn’t believe the word spread so quickly. “

The Humane Society set a deadline of 3 p.m. Wednesday for the suspects to return Thompson. If they did, they wouldn’t ask any question or seek prosecution.

And then, just a few minutes before 3 p.m., that call came.

“It was an anonymous caller, an intermediate between the person that had stolen the dog and us,” Hammond says.

The director of the Humane Society spoke to the caller and they agreed on meeting at a neutral place to get Thompson back.

Minutes later, the director headed out to the meeting place and got Thompson back safely.

The puppy was rushed back to the Humane Society on Old Frankfort Pike to be checked out by a veterinarian.

“He has a sprain in his first right paw. But other than that he’s doing fantastic,” Hammond says. “Just a little tired.”

Thompson was so tired he actually fell asleep in my arms during our report from the Humane Society on ABC 36 News at 6.

The Humane Society says they are going to keep their word and not prosecute the suspects.

“The most important thing is that he is OK and that he is here and that he will go to his forever home,” Hammond says.

That’s right, Thompson is being adopted. He was actually pending adoption when he was stolen. His new family will pick him up Thursday morning.