A stolen dog has been reunited with its Black Country family more than four years after going missing.

Rottweiler Tara was pinched from Tammy Price’s garden in West Bromwich in 2005, aged 12 weeks old, after living with the family for just six weeks. But the dog has now been reunited with her rightful owner thanks to information found on a microchip.

She was found wandering around the Dreams bed factory in Churchbridge, Oldbury by a member of staff. Mother-of-five Tammy, aged 28, said she could not believe it when she was told Tara had been found.

“It’s like an early Christmas present,” she said.

“It was like someone had knocked on the door and said they had found one of our kids, she really is like one of the family. All the kids were really excited.

Tammy, of Greswold Street, said she had always kept rottweilers but had not been able to bring herself to get another dog.

“I think some family must have had her, whoever took her probably sold her.”

Jennie Dhanjal, from Great Barr-based charity K9 Search UK, helped reunite Tara with her family after it was discovered the dog had a microchip with the family’s details in it. A volunteer from the charity went to Tammy’s house to tell her the news after the contact numbers on the chip were found to be out of date.

Jennie said: “This is exactly why permanent identification is important, both the microchip and tattoo are virtually painless and we encourage all responsible dog owners to have either or both.

“Tara has been away from the family home for four years now and it may take her some time to settle, but K9 Search UK and its partner Canine Rehabilitations of Wednesbury will be offering advice and guidance to the Price family for as long as is necessary.”