Fort Worth Police received a report of a missing dog Sunday around 12:40 p.m.
FORT WORTH, Texas — For many children, the holiday season is a time of joy and excitement. But for 7-year-old Gavino Torres, it wasn’t the presents under the tree that brought him happiness this December, it was being reunited with his four-legged best friend.
Gabino’s family includes two beloved basset hounds, Porres and Lolita. These dogs aren’t just pets, they’re part of the family.
“It was special to see how he wanted to hang out and how he interacted with others,” said Gabino’s sister Patricia.
But Sunday was a heartbreaking day for Gabino’s family when they received a call from a neighbor who said the dogs had escaped. Shortly afterward, surveillance camera footage showed someone picking up Porres and putting him into a truck.
“The emotion he showed that day… was heartbreaking,” Patricia said of her brother.
Fort Worth Police received a call about a missing dog around 12:40 p.m. Family members quickly shared photos and details on social media in hopes of locating Porres. “We started posting on social media, sharing with family, sharing that he was gone,” Patricia recalled.
On Tuesday, Christmas Eve, Patricia said she received what would ultimately become a miraculous phone call.
They received a call from the Haslett Animal Shelter informing them that Porres had been surrendered by a good Samaritan.
“I just started crying,” Patricia said.
But it wasn’t until they brought Porres home and surprised Gavino, who hugged the dog tightly, that it was a special Christmas moment. “I thought I would never see him again because he was gone forever,” he said.
While the family celebrated Porres’ return, there was even more good news: their other dog, Lolita, is pregnant. “He came back just in time to give birth,” Patricia said with a smile.
For the Torres family, the kindness of a stranger turned a heartbreaking situation into a joyful Christmas memory. “It’s truly a Christmas miracle,” Patricia said.
