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An Eastern Washington family is in shock after learning the Humane Society mistakenly adopted out their missing dog and the new owner won’t return him.

Trudy Biddle tells KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson that they’ve had their dog Buddy since 2003. They couldn’t find him after he slipped out of an open gate on July 9.

The Biddles searched their 8-acres of property and put out calls to the Humane Society, but after no word and a report of a cougar sighting on their land, they feared Buddy had been killed.

“We actually had found fresh bones during that same few days that were of a size that led us to believe that,” she says. “So that is actually what we thought, that he’d simply died on our property.”

That was until a neighbor told them he’d spotted a dog that looked like Buddy in The Wenatchee World’s Pet of the Week section. The neighbor told them he’d gone down to the Humane Society and told them he thought it was the Biddles’ dog and provided the family’s phone number. But somehow, in the next day or two, the dog was adopted out anyway.

Biddle says their neighbor told them about all of this on Aug. 16, but by that time, Buddy was already in the other woman’s possession. “We went to the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society’s webpage and could see Buddy right there with her.”

After making the discovery, the Biddles called the Humane Society first thing the next morning.

“The receptionist agreed, yes that was your dog. She confirmed that,” says Biddle. “She put a phone call in to this woman and explained the error and what had happened, and [asked] could we have the dog back. This woman said no,” Biddle says.

The woman would not agree to return the dog even though Biddle says the Humane Society confirmed the dog was micro-chipped with their address.

“I really never doubted for a moment, initially, that she would give him back, so that is why I’m in complete shock.”

When they thought Buddy had died on their property, Biddle says at least he was home.

“Because of his age, we thought he’d had a great life with us. It was just the natural circle of life,” she says. “This is harder, knowing that he’s actually alive and not with us to live his remaining years.”

At 14 years old, Biddle knows that Buddy doesn’t have that much time left and she thinks that time should be spent with his family.

“We want Buddy back and we want him with us for his remaining life.”

Biddle says the woman who adopted Buddy apparently acknowledged to the Humane Society that she understands the dog was micro-chipped to the Biddles, but that does not change her mind.

“The director of the Humane Society actually called her again on the 18th and explained who she was and this woman proceeded to say that yes she realized it was the Biddle dog, and that he’s in a good home, and that she wanted no further contact from HS.”

Biddle says the Humane Society is still working with them and they hope to resolve this in some way with the new owner. But for now, Buddy is in her care.