Stolen Dog Reunited with Soldier

MOORE, Okla. — A National Guard soldier and his dog are glad to be back together after the dog was recently stolen. Sarge the English Bulldog was taken from Phillip Ortiz’s home when thieves kicked in his back door.

“This is my son, he goes everywhere with me,” said Ntl. Guard Specialist Phillip Ortiz.

Oklahoma City Police did surveillance on a home over the weekend for suspected illegal activity and arrested two men. Once officers entered the home, they recovered Ortiz’s stolen electronics, but the dog wasn’t there.

The dog escaped the suspect’s home and a neighbor found him.

“He was walking down the street and he was really thirsty I mean he just looked like he was going to pass out,” said neighbor Adriana Nevarez.

She and her kids took the dog in.

“They love him and they named him Chong Chong which is fat boy in Spanish,” she said.

After the arrests over the weekend, Ortiz put up posters around the neighborhood to see if anyone recognized Sarge. She then called the soldier to let him know she thought she had his dog.

“She just said I think I have your dog,” Ortiz said.

Even though her kids loved Sarge the mother of four taught them a valuable life lesson.

“It’s just a good feeling to know, even if you really like something or you really love something you’re a better person if you do the right thing and give it back,” she said.

Police say they found stolen property in the suspects’ home belonging to several victims. The two suspects have both been charged with a number of theft and drug-related crimes.