Blanco’s barking in the backyard woke Paul’s girlfriend early Sunday, several days after the dog disappeared from their Colorado Springs home. She let Blanco inside, and he jumped onto the bed where Paul was sleeping.
She heard him barking and he jumped on my bed and I was sound asleep and when I woke up, I thought I was in a dream, Paul said.
The reunion reversed a search that began Thursday afternoon at Paul’s home along Milton Drive, on the southeast side near South Academy Boulevard and Airport Road. A surveillance recording captured a man opening the backyard gate shortly before 4 p.m.
Blanco greeted the man, who removed the dog’s collar, picked him up and carried him out through the gate. Paul’s daughter shared the recording across multiple social media platforms, and Paul appealed to the community for help finding his dog.
People with information were directed to the Colorado Springs Police Department under online tracking number 26006588. News5 sought additional information from the department, but no police response or arrest had been announced in the available update.
Paul said the same unidentified man returned Blanco around midnight Sunday, possibly between midnight and 1 a.m. The man placed Blanco in the backyard without directly alerting the household.
An unsigned apology note was left with the dog. It offered an account of the disappearance and stated that Blanco had received food and water, but those assertions were not independently verified.
The available information does not establish whether police identified or charged anyone. It also does not describe Blanco’s medical condition after his return.
Reducing risks around accessible yards
Blanco’s disappearance began with someone opening a backyard gate, making physical containment a central issue for owners to review. The American Kennel Club’s responsible ownership guidance recommends keeping yards securely fenced or using a run; when secure containment is not available, it advises keeping dogs on a leash outdoors.
Owners can periodically check gates, latches and fence lines for points that permit entry or escape. How much supervision a particular dog needs will depend on the home and yard, but an enclosed space does not necessarily prevent another person from gaining access.
Identification provides another layer of protection if a dog goes missing. The AKC recommends an ID tag containing the owner’s contact information and says a microchip can provide permanent identification that may help reunite a lost dog with its family. Consumer Reports also includes a collar with identification and a leash among the basic equipment dog owners should have.
If a dog disappears, owners may contact local authorities and animal shelters while sharing accurate identifying information with their community. They should also be cautious about people who claim to have recovered the animal and demand money or private account details.
The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region’s lost-and-found guidance warns that scammers have impersonated the shelter and requested payment from people searching for missing pets. The organization says it will not demand payment by phone or Venmo before returning an animal, ask for verification codes, or discuss pet trackers through messaging services. It advises people who receive a suspicious call not to share personal information and to verify the claim with shelter staff in person.
For Paul, the immediate uncertainty ended when Blanco appeared on his bed. He marked the dog’s return by serving him a large steak that he had made and saved for him.
The unsigned note supplied an apology, but it did not resolve the official questions surrounding the disappearance. No available update established whether authorities had identified the person who took and returned Blanco.
What would you do if your dog were in this situation? Share your thoughts in the comments.
By Sarah Mitchell — 8 years as a local-news reporter covering animal welfare, shelters, neighborhood disputes, and public-safety pet stories.
