Missing dog found after Petco grooming mishap in Lakewood

LAKEWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- A small dog that went missing after she bolted out of a Petco store in Lakewood during a grooming appointment is now back with her family.

According to her owner, Betty Lou was found Wednesday night hiding in the bushes near Lakewood and Del Amo boulevards. She had apparently been wandering around the area for the past week and was in rough shape.

"It's such a relief. I'm so happy that I finally have my dog again," said Betty's owner Aubree Booher.

Betty was taken to a veterinarian after the person who found her called the Lakewood Petco store. A clerk alerted Booher to come to the store.

"She immediately jumped on me, and I grabbed her. I just broke down. I started crying, my mom and my brother, everybody just started crying," Booher said.

Last Thursday, Betty was at her grooming appointment when an apparent mishap occurred.

"According to them, what had happened was someone came to pick up their dog and their dog looked similar to mine," Booher said earlier this week. "So they brought out my dog, and when my dog saw that it wasn't me or my mom, I guess she got scared. She backed out of their leash and was able to get past everybody and ran out the store."

The 6-year-old dog went days without food and water. She suffered injuries to her leg and belly.

Petco is now offering to take care of Betty's medical bills.

"I wouldn't have Betty again if it wasn't for Petco, so it's kind of a bittersweet thing with them," Booher said.

However, Booher says Petco's relationship with her dog is over and going there will bring up bad memories.

A manager at the Petco location acknowledged Betty was found but wouldn't comment further on how the store will prevent a similar incident from happening again.

The person who found Betty is expected to receive a $2,000 reward from Petco.