Losing your car is bad. Losing your dog with it? That’s nightmare fuel. For Elkin, a Colombian transplant hustling DoorDash deliveries in D.C., that nightmare became real when thieves swiped his vehicle—with Recardito, his French bulldog, still inside. But two days later, the ending no one dared to hope for became reality.

A french bulldog disappears in under five minutes

It started like any late-night delivery run. Elkin pulled up to a McDonald’s on 14th Street NW around 3 a.m. He left Recardito, his four-year-old French bulldog, in the car and ran inside to grab a DoorDash order. He was only gone for minutes. When he returned, his car was gone. And so was Recardito.

Elkin had just moved to Washington, D.C. from Colombia. He barely knew the city. “The truth is, I don’t know what to do,” he told Fox 5. “I need my dog back.” His voice cracked during the interview. He could barely hold it together.

How police may have tracked the missing french bulldog

Nobody’s said exactly how police found Recardito. The department only shared: “Good news to share! MPD detectives located Recardito tonight and reunited him with his owner.” They included photos of the reunion—Elkin kneeling down, arms around his dog, both finally breathing again.

Maybe the thieves dumped the French bulldog on a random corner. Maybe someone found him and took him to a shelter. If he had a chip, maybe a vet scanned it. If he didn’t, maybe detectives had to go old-school and call around. We just don’t know yet. But Recardito somehow made it out.

Elkin’s car is still missing, but Recardito is home. For Elkin, that’s what matters most. His emotional plea worked. His pup is safe. And thanks to some fast police work, this scary story ended in a hug, not heartbreak.