By: Noelani Mathews | WCTV Eyewitness News

November 20, 2019

THOMAS Co., Ga. (WCTV) — A labrador retriever nationally-recognized as a champion for several field trials, hunt tests and retriever competitions that

has been found in California.

Boss, who is valued at $85,000, was reunited with his owner this week.

The sheriff's office found him all the way in California after weeks fielding calls and following leads.

"I started off thinking this is going to be impossible," said Capt. Steve Jones, with TCSO. "When your story picked up just outside of our region I started getting calls from other states."

They say he was dognapped by another competitor at a field trial in Boston, Georgia.

The owner says they're still shocked.

"This is the third morning [since we reunited], and I felt like a 7-year-old under the Christmas tree this morning," dog handler Kati Becker says.

The sheriff's office isn't releasing the suspect's name, since the case is still active, but it says that person is facing felony charges.

Boss' owner says she's now planning to give him some time off.