Colts employee rewards families for helping find stolen dog

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A dog stolen from a Colts employee is back with its owner and two Indy families are credited for helping get him home.

The owner is the facilities manager for the football team and a rewards ceremony took place at the training facility Friday morning.

Greeting his Boxer puppy, Vegas, is one of Troy Glendenning’s favorite parts of the day.

But a few weeks ago this lovable pooch was stolen from his owner’s home.

Glendenning thought he may never see him again.

“I didn’t expect anything,” Glendenning said. “I really didn’t think it would happen.”

So his Colts football family put out the plea to help Vegas find his way home.

“And as soon as it hit the Internet, after the story was run on the news it really caught fire because in Indianapolis you’ve got a lot of really good people,” Indianapolis Colts Punter Pat McAfee said. “Whenever anybody steals a dog I think it hits home with people because it’s like a family member.”

With several stops along the way, Vegas ended up with the two families who met with Glendenning at the Colts practice facility Friday.

Emily Junker recognized Vegas from a Facebook post.

“I was like ‘oh my gosh,’” she said, “I was freaking out at work and I was like ‘oh my gosh’ this is the same dog.”

Rain Drake’s family also helped take care of Vegas.

She saw him on television and told her mom about it.

“I saw him on the news and then I told Mommy,” she said. “Mommy got on Facebook and looked at the marking and made sure it was the doggy then she called the sheriff’s department.”

“I guess the dog was in three different homes and finally ended up in Nashville, Indiana and that was his final destination,” Glendenning said.

Friday Glendenning presented both families with $3,000 each in reward money for returning his precious pup, safe and sound.

Glendenning said having the Colts help spread the word made a big difference but also thanks the community as a whole.

“It helps but I had people say ‘hey what can I give’ that certainly don’t work for the Colts, so it’s mainly about being around good people,” he said. “That’s what helps you more than anything.”

At this time, the family couldn’t say much about the burglary at Glendenning’s home because it is still under investigation.