A LONG lost family pet has been reunited with his owners seven years on after being sniffed out by police in Kirklees. 

The Batley and Spen Neighbourhood Policing team said they were delighted to reunite missing Chewy with his owners in Batley, and said the happy tale is a great example of the importance of microchipping pets.  

PC Kirsty Stanley and PC Jacob Wood came across the male Chihuahua on Wednesday while searching a house in Heckmondwike for a wanted man.

While the suspect wasn’t present, they found Chewy in the empty property and were immediately suspicious after hearing more from neighbours about the vague circumstances of how the animal came to be there.

They took him to a local vets and found he had been microchipped and was registered missing from a home in Batley in 2016.

Kirsty said: “We join policing to help people and both Jacob and I were so glad this was a story with a really happy ending.

“It was fantastic to take Chewy back to his owners and see the looks on their faces when they saw him after so long.”

Inspector David Bates, of the Batley and Spen Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This is a truly heart-warming story and I’m really pleased with both my officers whose thoroughness has brought some wonderful news for a family to start 2023 with.

“This case really does go to show that even if a pet is missing for years there is a chance he or she can find their way home.”

Have you got a story for us? Email newsdesk@telegraphandargus.co.uk or contact us here.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news.

Sign up to our newsletter to get updates sent straight to your inbox.

You can also call us on 01274 705292.