Dog named Little Dude vanished during carjacking in Alabama. Now he’s home weeks later
_fitted.png "After two weeks of searching , an Alabama man has been reunited with his dog, Little Dude, after he was taken during a carjacking.")
After Phillip Lewis was carjacked at gunpoint, his biggest concern was his dog, Little Dude, who was in the car when it was taken.
“I don’t care about the car, or any objects in the car. I just want that dog back. He means the world to me,” Lewis said in a Sept. 2 interview with WBMA.
Now, after more than two weeks of searching, Lewis and Little Dude were finally reunited.
“We have been reunited! Thank you to everyone who has followed our story. Each and everyone of you have made this possible. Big Love,” Lewis wrote in a Facebook post.
Lewis received an anonymous tip about Little Dude on Sept. 11, according to WVTM’s Rick Karle. Cullman County and Jefferson County deputies worked together to retrieve the pup.
“He’s going to get some treats tonight,” Lewis told the reporter on Sept. 12. “I can’t wait for Little Dude to squeeze in my chair and watch movies with me.”
The Cullman County Sheriff’s Office said the initial incident occurred around 11 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28, when Lewis’ car was stolen at gunpoint from a gas station in Dodge City, Alabama, off Interstate 65, according to WAFF. At the time, the department had not yet identified suspects.
The sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment.
Lewis told WVTM that he had been pumping gas when he noticed a car pull up behind him.
“I thought to myself, ‘Well, that’s kind of weird because all the other pumps are open and empty,’” he said.
When he finished filling his car with gas, the passenger of the car approached him with a gun and demanded his keys. After handing the keys over, Lewis said he realized Little Dude was still in the car. Despite Lewis’ efforts to get his dog, the driver sped off.
Cullman County is about 55 miles north of Birmingham, Alabama.
This story was originally published September 13, 2022 at 9:49 AM with the headline "Dog named Little Dude vanished during carjacking in Alabama. Now he’s home weeks later."
