MADISON (WKOW) — A Madison family is reunited with its puppy days after reporting the animal stolen.

It happened on Sunfish Ct. on the border between Madison and Fitchburg. The puppy’s owner, Reta-Julai Theus, said she rushed home on Monday after hearing some promising news.

“I actually got a call from our neighbor saying there was a Fitchburg officer and a news crew here to hurry up and go home maybe Diamond’s outside,” she said.

Diamond is her three-month-old puppy. On Saturday, Theus said she let Diamond out in the kennel on her back porch. She believes the dog was in there alone for less than 30 minutes.

In that time, Diamond was stolen.

“Left the door wide open,” Theus said. “Just opened it up, took her out and she was gone.”

Over the next couple of days, Theus said she was scared, upset and furious.

“The first night I slept on the couch in disbelief and in the middle of the night I kept jumping up thinking I was hearing her whining,” she said.

Then on Monday, she heard a Fitchburg officer stopped by her house.

The officer told her Diamond wasn’t home just yet, but they think they found her in Fitchburg. So Theus camped out in her front yard for about an hour and a half.

As each car passed, the anticipation mounted, until finally two Madison detectives pulled into her driveway.

“They had her,” Theus said. “I knew it was her at that point.”

It was. The detectives carried Diamond out of the car and straight into Theus’s arms. At that point, Theus said she would never let go.

“She’s gonna go to work with me, Walmart.” she said. “I’m gonna take her everywhere with me.”

Madison police told her the dog was in good shape and well-cared for. They said a neighbor took her and gave her to his girlfriend’s family. They later called Fitchburg Police when they learned her family was looking for her.

“I’m just happy she’s home and she’s safe,” Theus said.

Now Theus said she’s never letting Diamond leave her sight.

“No more outside for her by herself,” she said.

Theus said Diamond will be on the leash outside from now on.

In an ironic twist, Theus said the other family actually had Diamond microchipped.

As for the thief, Theus said she plans to press charges.