Seven weeks after his incredible escape from a Las Vegas doggy daycare, a handsome Husky named Loki is home safe. It turns out Melissa Nelson’s service-dog-in-training was not lost in the desert, he was picked up by a couple who refused to give him back – even after Loki appeared on local news. Thanks to a tip from the mother of his captor and a successful police sting at a local liquor store, Loki was finally reunited with his rightful owner.
Jimmy Carsone, the owner of Hot Diggity Dog Daycare, was devastated when Loki escaped from his facility on April 28. Nelson had informed the staff of her dog’s habit of climbing and jumping. In response, they placed him in a kennel specially designed for escape artists with wood lattice at the top.
Loki still managed to break through the wooden barrier and into a secure yard before leaping over the fence to freedom. Carsone insisted on actively participating in the search efforts, giving an interview to 13 Action News and providing the phone number to his business for viewers to call in tips.
Surveillance video from the daycare showed Loki’s Great Escape.
Nelson was starting to lose hope when a promising tip came in. Carsone says the woman identified herself as the mother of Loki’s current caretaker and said that her daughter refused to give the dog back.
Nelson contacted police with the new information and a sting operation was organized. The LVPD set up in the parking lot of Lee’s Discount Liquor Store as Loki and his captors shopped inside. Nelson waited anxiously nearby.
When the suspects emerged, the police began to question them. An officer eventually “got tired of the couple’s games” and asked Nelson to approach in order to see what Loki would do when he saw her. So she went up and called Loki’s name.
“As soon as he licked my face, I started bawling like a baby, I was crying and he’s trying to comfort me, putting his head up against my neck and stuff,” Nelson said.
Seeing Loki’s emotional response to his rightful owner was enough for police to consider the case closed. Nelson was allowed to leave the liquour store parking lot with her dog. Although police continued speaking with the couple that held Loki, they did not make any arrests.
The 2-year-old, brown-eyed Husky is currently training to become Nelson’s service dog. He will assist her with chronic anxiety and panic attacks.
H/T and Featured Image via KTNV ABC 13 Action News
