A five-month-old Australian Shepherd named Vango played a big role in his own rescue after alerting workers at a pet store in Gatineau, Quebec, that something was wrong.
Vango walked into the store with a couple who often came in to buy cat food. But unlike before, the young dog seemed restless, barking and nudging a store employee, Yves Jodoin, who is also a dog trainer.
“The dog was really trying to get my attention,” Jodoin recalled.
Something felt off. The couple didn’t seem to know basic details about Vango—his exact age, whether he was neutered, what food he ate, or how much he had cost. They avoided answering questions, which made Jodoin suspicious. Even after being given treats, Vango kept barking as if trying to say, “Help me!”
A Missing Dog
Meanwhile, one of Jodoin’s coworkers checked social media for missing pets. Within minutes, they found a post about Vango—he had been reported missing from his home in Buckingham, Quebec, just two and a half hours earlier.
That’s when everything clicked. Jodoin realized he knew this dog—he had trained Vango as a puppy!
“I called out, ‘Vango, come!’ and he immediately reacted, jumping with excitement,” Jodoin said. “He had been trying to tell us all along that he wasn’t with his real owners.”
The couple claimed they had found Vango in the woods. The woman even said she wanted to keep him as a support dog because of her health issues and financial struggles.
Surrounded by witnesses at the store, Jodoin firmly asked them to give up the dog. He then called Vango’s rightful owner, Josée Francoeur.
A Tearful Reunion
“I can’t talk about it without crying,” Francoeur said, remembering the moment she got the call.
Earlier that morning, she had let Vango outside for a potty break in her fenced yard. But when she checked on him, he was gone. He wasn’t microchipped, and she had no idea how he had disappeared so quickly.
Panicked, Francoeur posted about him on missing pet pages and social media. She walked around her neighborhood, asking if anyone had seen him. Even the police got involved, filing a missing dog report.
Just as she was starting to lose hope, her phone rang.
“Imagine if those people hadn’t gone to that pet store—I would have lost my dog forever,” she said.
Seeking Justice
Francoeur has now filed a police report. She doesn’t want to cause problems for the couple, but she hopes they understand the seriousness of what they did.
“They took my baby,” she said. “I want to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
Gatineau police are investigating the case but must prove the couple intentionally stole Vango before pressing charges. Meanwhile, the local SPCA is using the case to remind pet owners about the importance of microchipping.
Francoeur has already scheduled an appointment to get Vango microchipped.
“This could have all been avoided,” she said.
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