Family reunites with missing companion dog

SPRINGFIELD, Va. - Companion dogs are very popular these days and can help families in many ways. But for one Springfield family, their companion dog suddenly went missing.

Donald and Jeannine Smith's dog, Kobe, is a white Shih Tzu and Maltese mix that was playing in the yard of their home Tuesday afternoon. Kobe is beloved by the whole family, especially by their daughter Miranda, who is 23 years old and has Down syndrome.

According to Donald, their dog ran out of the yard just as a car pulled up. When a person got out of the vehicle, he picked up the dog and sped off.

The Smith family was very upset and called police immediately. They also put up flyers in an effort to locate Kobe. It also included a trip to the local PetSmart store where the Smiths shared their story.

Coincidentally, a local high school teacher and student showed up at the exact same PetSmart with the dog. If that weren't enough of a coincidence, they actually live in the same neighborhood and on the exact same street as the Smiths. They apparently saw Kobe get loose and were only trying to help. They took the dog to the PetSmart store to see if he was microchipped.

It ended up being a happy ending for a family that thought their companion dog was stolen. But in fact, it was just friendly neighbors trying to be Good Samaritans. The Smith family said they are thankful to their neighbors for being such good friends and looking out for Kobe.