Dog Stolen From Barnegat On His Way Home From Florida

BARNEAT TOWNSHIP, NJ - Nieko, a 13-year-old black maltipoo stolen from his Barnegat house last week, is on his way home, his ecstatic owner said on the Bring Nieko Home Facebook page.

"It is with much excitement that I can announce NIEKO IS SAFE and WITH MY HUSBAND!," Jo Hihm wrote. "We have FaceTimed with him and he still seems a little unsure and scared, but he is on his way home to his family!!!"

Hihm posted a photo of Nieko in his Daddy's arms on his journey home. She has promised more photos of the reunion when Nieko arrives home.

"More pics to follow as he is reunited with all that love him and have missed him dearly!!," she wrote. "I cannot express the happiness and gratitude we have for each and every person who opened their hearts to our Nieko!!! There are no words!!!"

The little 16-pound dog apparently got out from under the family's fence. A woman was caught on surveillance video picking up the pup at 1:10 p.m. on Feb. 28. She never notified police or animal shelters that she had Neiko.

The woman seen holding the dog with the car in the background is apparently the one who took Nieko.

"More pics to follow as he is reunited with all that love him and have missed him dearly!!," she wrote. "I cannot express the happiness and gratitude we have for each and every person who opened their hearts to our Nieko!!! There are no words!!!

Hihm has credited the Barnegat Police Department and especially Officer Brett Taylor for finding her dog. Just how they did that has not been made public yet.

"Without them, we might never have seen him again," she told Patch. "They all went above and beyond for our pup!"

Patch will update when Nieko arrives home.

Photos: Courtesy of Jo Hihm