For one Florida woman, the nightmare came out of nowhere — her engagement ring had suddenly vanished. She tore the house apart looking for it, checking every pocket, countertop and corner. But the ring was nowhere.
Once she’d exhausted every possibility, only one suspect remained: her dog, Smokey.
Smokey gazed back at her with wide, innocent eyes — the perfect poker face. But was he really as innocent as he looked?
Fortunately, Smokey’s mom had an expert on speed dial: her friend Julie Noyes, owner of Kind Animal Care in Spring Hill, Florida. Smokey was a frequent patient there, and Noyes knew him well.
“He’s a big goofball and very sweet,” Noyes told The Dodo.
So when Smokey’s mom texted asking how long it would take a dog to pass an engagement ring, Noyes instantly knew something hilarious — and possibly disastrous — was unfolding.
“I was in stitches, crying thinking about Smokey eating her ring right off the table,” she said.
Still, the only way to be sure was to bring Smokey in for an X-ray.
And sure enough — there it was. The missing engagement ring sat smack in the middle of Smokey’s stomach.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief knowing it was safe … but now came the tricky part: getting it out. Noyes tried every safe method she could, even keeping Smokey overnight to encourage him to pass the ring. But it refused to budge.
“Smokey’s mom was a trooper and let us do what we needed to to try and retrieve the ring,” Noyes said.
Eventually, Smokey went home to rest — completely wiped out after his big day at the vet.
A full week later, the moment of truth finally arrived. Smokey passed the ring at last, none the worse for wear. After a deep and very necessary cleaning, it was back on his mom’s finger where it belonged.
As for Smokey, he’s happily returned to snacking on treats — not expensive jewelry.
