Missing and found Flossie’s owner speaks out: ’Such a little dog has touched so many hearts’
Almost a week after she went missing the beloved red-brown toy poodle Flossie is back home with her owner. Here’s all we know.
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It will be a big celebration when “little Flossie” turns nine next month – now that she is safe back in the arms of her mum, Dr Ann-Louise Hordacre.
The Flinders University academic’s beloved red-brown toy poodle had been missing – presumed stolen – for close to a week before they were reunited on Monday.
Cuddling Flossie, Dr Hordacre said her fur baby’s birthday on March 14 would be extra special: “Maybe we will have some champagne.”
Touched by the “outpouring of love … during a nightmare time, Dr Hordacre thanked everyone who had joined the “Find Flossie” campaign.
“It’s just amazing how such a little dog has touched so many hearts,” she said, adding: “She would be so happy … she’s little Flossie, she’s a scamp”.
Asked if she had anything to say to the thieves who took Flossie, Dr Hordacre said she was “just so grateful” to have her back after being “so despondent” on Monday morning.
“It was so hot, I didn’t know whether she would come home to me – I was just so sad,” she said.
While having breakfast she was looking at missing dog pages on social media.
There was a reported sighting of Flossie at Devon Park and, in another post, a photo of a toy poodle discovered at Sefton Plaza, 10km from her home at Fullarton.
It was an image Dr Hordacre had never seen before, but she recognised it to be Flossie.
“They didn’t think it was her,” Dr Hordacre said of the people who had been caring for her much-loved pet after she was found, adding: “I knew it was my Flossie, it had to be her, and she just snuggled into me. It was completely lovely.”
Their reunion was followed by a visit to the vet, who said Flossie was fine, chicken for lunch and a snooze with her “big sister” toy poodle Cali.
When Flossie was found, reality TV show star and singer-turned-real estate agent Amity Dry – who is a friend of Dr Hordacre – shared the good news on social media.
“Flossie has been found!!!!!,” she wrote, adding: “She was near Sefton Plaza, walking by the road (I think).”
Flossie was declared missing – presumably stolen – after an intruder broke in on Tuesday, January 28.
Dr Hordacre previously told The Advertiser she believed the thieves who took Flossie were “opportunistic”.
“She looks like a puppy, they may have thought she would make a nice gift or they could sell her,” Dr Hordacre told The Advertiser.
“She would be anxious, she would be scared … she’s so little.
“She didn’t run away … she just runs to me, that’s all she wants.”
The Advertiser and Mix 102.3’s breakfast show Hayley & Max in the Morning helped in the six-day search for Flossie by telling the tale of the little dog lost.
Mix also put a “Find Flossie” billboard above the Caledonian Hotel in North Adelaide.
Signing off from her social media post, Ms Dry said Dr Hordacre wanted to thank everyone who had helped in the search for Flossie, adding: “This is the greatest outcome we could’ve hoped for.”
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Originally published as Missing and found Flossie’s owner speaks out: ’Such a little dog has touched so many hearts’