Stolen guide dog is returned to blind owner after heartbreaking public plea

Guide dogs, or seeing-eye dogs, are used by blind and visually impaired around the world. In the U.S. alone, there are an estimated 10,000 guide dogs helping their humans move about daily, which is a relatively low number when compared to the number of blind and visually impaired people out there. Having your guide dog stolen can make life difficult for anyone who uses a guide dog.

Lucca comes up missing

KRMG Source: KRMG

So, when Kevin Coachman’s guide dog, Lucca, was stolen, he was at a loss for what to do. He relied on Lucca to help him get around the town of Harvey in Illinois. Coachman had gotten Lucca about three months prior. He had lost his sight after being shot multiple times during a carjacking.

Coachman had only had Lucca for about 3 months

ABC 7 Chicago Source: ABC 7 Chicago

Lucca and Coachman were paired together by the Seeing Eye Foundation, a philanthropic organization that raises and trains seeing-eye dogs for use by blind and visually-impaired people across the U.S. and Canada.

A thief had stolen Lucca

ABC 7 Chicago Source: ABC 7 Chicago

Lucca came up missing after the pair had returned home from running errands. Coachman left Lucca in the backyard of his home while he went inside.

“I got him home and I took him straight to the backyard while I went in to feed him and get him water, and when I came back out my dog was gone,” Coachman ABC 7 Chicago.

Coachman makes a heartfelt plea to the thief

ABC 7 Chicago Source: ABC 7 Chicago

In a plea to the thieves on a local news station, Coachman asked them to return his stolen dog. Life was certainly more difficult without Lucca for the 58-year-old former semi-pro football player.

“It’s like walking in a dark room and you don’t know what you can trip over or who’s in that room. Or anything like that. It’s always scary,” he said.

The thief has a fit of consciousness

ABC 7 Chicago Source: ABC 7 Chicago

Later in the week, he received a phone call from a neighborhood teen who claimed responsibility for taking Lucca. During the phone call, the teen said he knew it was wrong. So, he waited for the teen to return his companion, not sure if he would follow through, but was relieved when he did.

“I was sitting right here and he walked up and gave it to me and told me his name and told me what he was doing,” Coachman said.

ABC 7 Chicago Source: ABC 7 Chicago

Some in the community were bitter towards the teen, but not Coachman. He said the incident renewed his faith in the goodness of people. The teen had seen Coachman’s story on a local news program and had a fit of consciousness.

Coachman was just glad to have his friend back. He said that after spending so much time with Lucca, every day, all day, that life hadn’t been the same without Lucca to guide him.

“I’m so glad to have my guide dog back, my friend and my eyes,” Coachman said.

To hear Coachman’s heartfelt plea to the dognapper, watch the video below.

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Source: ABC 7 Chicago

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