CHENNAI: Missing pet dog of a German couple was traced after 100 days on Saturday, according to social media posts by a few activists. The labrador, Luke, which was allegedly kidnapped by an auto driver on the Marina Beach, was found by city-based animal activist Vijaya Narayanan.
“Luke has been found after 100 days,” read a triumphant post on Facebook that described Vijaya Narayanan’s husband’s take on the entire episode. “He was kidnapped from his parents (owners) and what followed was a torturous time of following one lead after another whichever time of the day, policemen talked to, petrol stations alerted, social media requested and FM sounded. Despair, words of lost hope, nay-sayers mocking and owners fighting between penury and govt regulations (being foreigners).”
Marina Police officers, however, said they were not aware whether the dog was found.
The post described how the Narayanans had received a call at 9.30 pm, from someone who identified himself as an auto driver and claimed to have collected the dog from the beach. Unsure, Narayanan asked him to send the dog’s photo on WhatsApp. Upon scrutinising, they found that the picture almost matched. The owners, who are now in Nepal, too confirmed that it could be Luke.
It was decided that the driver would bring the dog to a clinic in Thiruvanmiyur as it had a micro chip reader that would be able to identify the chip that had been impregnated in Luke’s left neck.
“We took Luke inside and as the chip reader was passed around the neck, it came to life and beeped,” described the post.
The auto drivers were given part of the prize money on Saturday while the rest was settled on Sunday.
For the German couple, the search for their “son” had finally ended, thanks to the work put in by the Narayanans.