Naples woman reunited with lost dog after 8 years

NAPLES, Fla. Louise Freidlander had a reunion that was eight years in the making.

Friedlander’s Yorkie, Tessa, was stolen from Fort Myers Beach when she was two years old. She posted flyers offering a reward around Southwest Florida for a year trying to find her.

“We put signs up everywhere,” she said. “We rang doorbells, we tried everything — and never found her.”

Four years ago, she received a phone call from a woman saying, “I have your Yorkie,” before she hung up.

Last week, Lee County Domestic Animal Services called Friedlander to tell her Tessa was found at Fire Station 10 off Gator Circle in Cape Coral, thanks to her microchip.

“The person there had me stand in front of her crate and say, ‘Tessa, it’s mama.’ And she stood up there and put her little paws on the little grid and smiled from ear to ear and licked my hand,” Friedlander said.

However, how and where Tessa spent the last eight years remains a mystery.

“I didn’t think she could bark because she didn’t bark the whole time for a couple of days,” Friedlander said. “I was having dinner one night and she started barking at me…so I know she was fed at the table.”

Tessa needs some dental work, but is otherwise healthy, a veterinarian said.

Friedlander also plans on taking Tessa for some walks to lose the weight she gained.