Puppy thieves return dog to little girl, after seemingly feeling bad about the whole thing

An eight-week-old puppy that was stolen from a house in Melbourne, Australia, has been returned to a "devastated" family after local police launched a public appeal.

A number of items including a laptop, an iPad and jewellery were also stolen from the home on Monday.

Yet it was the missing labrador, Sasha, that distressed the family most -- especially the daughter of the dog's owner, four-year-old Maia.

"We've only had her a week, but she's part of the family. She was my daughter's best friend, and those two spent each night falling asleep together in the dog bed," Sasha's owner, Ryan Hood, told Today.

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Police failed to find the dog anywhere in the home or in the neighbourhood, and a investigation was launched. But on Thursday, Sasha mysteriously returned to the family's home.

Hood's wife woke up to make a coffee, when she noticed a moving figure by the kennel. It turned out to be their missing dog.

"We think that whoever took her had either a conscience, or got scared and dropped her over the fence ... we don't care to be honest. We're happy to have her back," Hood told Today on Thursday.

Hood said his daughter, Maia, was "ecstatic" as was the dog. The dog appeared to be unharmed and in good health, although has a fascination with shoes now.

None of the other stolen items were returned, and Victoria Police said it'll still be investigating the burglary.

Through all the bad, fortunately there's still a little bit of good left in this world.

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