In Gatineau, Quebec, a remarkable story unfolded when Fango, a five-month-old Australian Shepherd, appeared at a local pet store—seemingly reporting his own alleged kidnapping. What started as a normal morning quickly turned into a tense and emotional rescue that could have easily ended in heartbreak.
Fango entered the store accompanied by a couple who regularly visited to buy cat food. Yves Goodwin, an employee and dog trainer at Au Royaume d’Animaux, immediately noticed something unusual. The puppy was “barking, pushing, and trying hard to get my attention,” he recalled.
But the couple’s responses raised even more concern. “They didn’t know basic details about the dog,” Goodwin said. “They didn’t know its age, whether it was neutered, what type of food it was fed, or even how much they paid for it. They were clearly avoiding my questions.”
Despite being offered treats, Fango continued his insistent behavior, clearly trying to communicate. Meanwhile, one of Goodwin’s colleagues began combing social media for reports of missing dogs. Within minutes, they found a photo of Fango—he had gone missing earlier that morning from his home in Buckingham, Quebec.
The realization hit Goodwin like a bolt of lightning. He had trained Fango as a puppy and immediately recognized the familiar face. Without hesitation, he called the dog over. “I shouted, ‘Fango, come!’” Goodwin recounted. The dog responded instantly, barking and twitching, almost as if saying, “I’m not the dog you think I am!”
The couple claimed they had found Fango in the woods. The woman explained that due to her deteriorating health and inability to afford the responsibilities of owning a dog, she wanted to keep him as a support animal. But Goodwin wasn’t convinced. Surrounded by onlookers, he urged the couple to surrender Fango and quickly contacted José Francoeur, Fango’s rightful owner.
Francoeur described the emotional moment when she received the call. “I can’t talk about it without crying,” she admitted. Fango had disappeared that morning after being let out in her closed yard around 9 a.m. The dog wasn’t microchipped, making the search even more frantic.
Francoeur immediately posted alerts on social media and the local Humane Society’s website, combed the neighborhood, and enlisted police assistance. The thought of losing Fango forever loomed over her—but the pet store employees’ intervention changed everything.
She has since filed a police report, determined that the couple understands the consequences of their actions. “I don’t want to cause them problems. We don’t know why they did it,” Francoeur explained. “But they took my child at that exact moment. I want to deter others from making the same mistake.”
Authorities noted that in order to press charges, they must prove the couple intentionally stole the dog rather than having found it by chance.
This incident has prompted the Luttawa Humane Society to remind pet owners about the importance of microchipping their pets. “All of this could have been avoided,” Francoeur said. Ironically, the couple even tried to register Fango under a new name at the same facility that morning.
Fango’s quick thinking—or perhaps his irresistible charm—helped prevent what could have been a devastating loss. His story serves as both a cautionary tale and a heartwarming reminder of the bond between pets and their owners.