Huntington

NY Couple Reunited With 4-Year-Old French Bulldog Stolen in Thanksgiving Robbery

Four-year-old Stella was returned to her family after she was tracked down almost an hour from her home

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A Long Island family is back together again after a Thanksgiving Grinch tried to ruin the holiday weekend.

A Huntington couple spent the day after Thanksgiving frantically searching for their French Bulldog who was swiped Thursday night when a burglar broke into their home, stealing 4-year-old Stella and a PlayStation 5.

Instead of snagging doorbuster deals or filling up on Thanksgiving leftovers, Matt and Jen Hauck spent Friday making hundreds of flyers and scouring the town for the missing animal.

"We started last night at about 11 o'clock searching for her, I haven't slept since," Matt Hauck said Friday night from a UPS store where he was printing more flyers.

The couple had left their home for Thanksgiving dinner, but by the time they pulled up to their home they knew something was wrong.

"As we pull up my wife says right away 'the house is really dark,'" Matt Hauck said.

Jen (left) and Matt Hauck (right) reunited with 4-year-old Stella. (Credit: Colleen Franca)

At first they thought Stella had gotten out somehow. But after inspecting their home and spotting the missing game console, the couple realized an intruder had likely broken in and taken their beloved pet.

"Stella is our child, she's a part of our family," Matt Hauck said.

The couple filed a report with the police and set up a $5,000 reward, no questions asked.

By Saturday afternoon, Suffolk police announced that Stella had been located in Center Moriches, nearly an hour's drive away from Huntington. She's since been reunited with the Haucks.

The investigation into the burglary is ongoing.

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