A 14-year-old Pug named Jessica has been returned to Richard and Lisa Brooks of San Jose, California, after what was likely a very frightening ordeal. The canine was inside the Brookses' GMC truck when it was stolen from the parking lot of a Gold's Gym facility earlier this week, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
The dog, who is both blind and deaf, was spotted by a woman, who also happened to be named Jessica, in the parking lot of an ice cream shop approximately eight hours after the car was stolen. She called San Jose Animal Care and Services shortly after a dispatcher had alerted the same service that the Pug had been reported missing.
Jessica the dog was returned to her guardians unharmed on Monday, February 14. Police later found the truck, and arrested a 17-year-old male who they believe stole the vehicle.
Lisa Brooks told the news organization that she used to bring Jessica to her gym on a weekly basis, leaving the animal in the car while she exercised. She says she will leave the dog at home from now on.
"I would never leave a child in a car," she told Mercury News. "And a dog seemed different to me, until now. This was the type of loss that's not worth the convenience of leaving her in the car."