Story Of Adorable Pug Who Was Captured On Camera Being Stolen By Cable Guy Has A Happy Ending
Hunt for a dog thief ends on a high note.
All's well that ends well for a California woman after the story of the bizarre theft of her pug Andrew by a cable guy ends with him returned home.
Let's face it, when it comes to customer service the reputation of cable companies is about as bad as it gets.
But bad customer service took on a whole new meaning Monday after a Spectrum cable employee was caught on camera stealing a dog from the California woman's home.
Fortunately for Andrew and his owner the heartbreaking story had a happy ending when he was returned home the following day.
Update: ANDREW IS HOME!!! Thank you to everyone for your support and help getting my baby back safely ❤️@KTLA @ABC7… https://t.co/9LMw4mhxGg— Melissa Cortez (@Melissa Cortez) 1553621871
When 21-year-old Melissa Cortez returned from work on Monday to the Rubidoux, California home she shares with her mother and sister she discovered that her pug Andrew was missing.
After combing the neighborhood and checking local shelters Melissa's search came up empty. Lucky for Melissa though her family's neighbor had surveillance footage showing what had happened to Andrew.
Around 12:30 p.m. on Monday Andrew was let out of the house to run around the yard. That's when a Spectrum employee walked up to Cortez's home and grabbed Andrew from the yard before taking off with him in a company van.
https://t.co/wMpj64TyZq— Melissa Cortez (@Melissa Cortez) 1553566596
"I was angry and upset at first, just thinking that someone took him," Cortez told the Orange County Register on Tuesday.
"But to see someone who people usually trust to be in their homes felt like an even bigger violation."
Cortez filed a report with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department after failing to reach a Spectrum representative through the company's automated phone system.
The cable provider eventually reached out to Cortez after the footage of the incident went viral on Twitter.
Andrew was quickly recovered and returned home early Tuesday morning by a Spectrum security employee.
Heartwarming moment after a stolen #pug is returned to her Riverside owner. Now a @GetSpectrum employee is under i… https://t.co/Lz1tEzTO3E— Tony Shin (@Tony Shin) 1553623992
Along with Cortez's family and neighbors, Twitter was overjoyed by the happy reunion.
My faith in humanity has been restored. Thank you to my sweet little neighbor for this beautiful drawing ❤️ From th… https://t.co/ZtVUtAWZBO— Melissa Cortez (@Melissa Cortez) 1553719150
@TonyNBCLA @young_bluh @GetSpectrum @NBCLA Congrats!!! That’s so great— Faith Brouillette (@Faith Brouillette) 1553654684
@young_bluh @MavrocksGirl @KTLA @ABC7 @TLMDPR @proflevin @UnivisionNews @KNBC4Desk Yayayayay! I love happy endings. 💖— Cathy Chester (@Cathy Chester) 1553709897
@young_bluh @KTLA @ABC7 @TLMDPR @proflevin @UnivisionNews @KNBC4Desk So glad that Andrew is back where he belongs!💞… https://t.co/RTHnz962Xw— Wendy Newman (@Wendy Newman) 1553710923
@young_bluh @KTLA @ABC7 @TLMDPR @proflevin @UnivisionNews @KNBC4Desk That is an awesome story! I'm glad Andrew is s… https://t.co/bdrq2APisC— #BestDad (@#BestDad) 1553663756
@young_bluh @KTLA @ABC7 @TLMDPR @proflevin @UnivisionNews @KNBC4Desk That’s great to hear, could not imagine how I… https://t.co/TnGHBl3l2v— dirtfloorblues (@dirtfloorblues) 1553639934
@young_bluh @KTLA @ABC7 @TLMDPR @proflevin @UnivisionNews @KNBC4Desk Sad when when you can’t even trust the damn ca… https://t.co/UNNwROKFz6— StelenaFoster (@StelenaFoster) 1553636322
@TonyNBCLA @young_bluh @GetSpectrum @NBCLA I almost cried. I’m so happy— SARAH RX 💉 (@SARAH RX 💉) 1553660076
Grateful, Cortez and her sister credit social media for Andrew's return.
"I don't know if I would have gotten my baby back if it wasn't for social media and people who spread the word," said Cortez.
According to a spokesman for the Riverside County Sheriff's Department no arrests have been made.
Spectrum spokesman Dennis Johnson says the employee responsible has been fired.