A U.S. sailor stationed in the Middle East for 251 days returned to find his dog had been given away by a family member who agreed to look after it.
The Virginia resident, Paulo Silva, who spent his deployment on the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier battling Yemen’s Houthi Rebels, took to social media for help.
In a post that has since been revised, the New Jersey resident wrote that he had been given no choice in the matter and that the person left in charge of his beloved hound said nothing about the dog’s rehoming during his regular calls home.
With the help of local law enforcement, he reunited with his Golden Retriever, Archie, on June 5, but not without things getting heated.
‘At no point was I told about it,’ Silva said
“While I was away, something happened that I was completely unaware of and never would have agreed to—my dog was given away without my knowledge or consent,” Silva, who returned home on June 1 this year, wrote on social media.
Speaking to the Ashbury Park Press, he said: “A family member that was well-trusted felt they had no choice but to give away my dog.
“At no point was I told about it (before returning home), and I had asked time and time again about him.”
He admits the family member had mentioned that the dog’s stay with them in Silva’s absence was not entirely problem-free.
“They said my dog wasn’t settling in too well—that he was having problems staying at the house.”
Silva disputed this claim, citing past experience: “I’ve had numerous people look after my dog before, with no issues.”
Social media was torn up over the missing dog
In his earlier post, Silva wrote:
“I’m reaching out publicly not out of anger, but out of heartbreak. I am respectfully asking you to please consider returning my dog to me.”
This plea tugged at Facebook’s heartstrings.
“D*mn bro,” a commenter responded. “You bouta have me go searching in Toms River now that I live there.
“This is […] wild to me that someone would do that. Let me know what I can do, you have my number brother.”
Another netizen called Silva’s situation heartbreaking, especially since he loved his dog so much.
One user lashed out at the unnamed person who gave Archie away and questioned why they did not have the number of the household to which they had given the dog.
But contrary to this idea, Silva claims that the person indeed had the contact details but refused to give them to him.
The family returned Archie and were offered a small consolation prize—one that could grow up to be as big as Archie one day
Dear Friends and Community,
I’m very happy to share that Archie has safely returned to me. I want to sincerely thank…
Posted by Paulo Silva on Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Silva called on the police departments of Toms River and Monmouth Counties in New Jersey and a local veterans group to aid in his search.
His plea paid off on Wednesday, June 5, when Jamie Rae Goldstein from Freehold, New Jersey (the same county Silva graduated high school from) returned the dog, Asbury Park reported after a followup interview.
Silva initially believed that the Goldstein household was aware he was looking for Archie but were unwilling to return him.
This led Silva to lay down an ultimatum dictating that if the dog was not returned by June 5—which happened to be the day he was returned—he would escalate the issue into a legal matter.
The New Jersey native has since walked back his impression of the Goldstein family, and called it a misunderstanding.
“The family is not at fault, and I believe we can all agree that it’s time to put this chapter behind us for the sake of everyone involved, especially Archie,” he concluded.
Emotions ran high over the issue, leading to threats and harassment
After thanking everyone for their support throughout his ordeal, he called on the public to stop harassing the family that provided a temporary home for his pet.
According to Silva, they had been subjected to threats and “negative actions.”
As a gesture of gratitude, Silva connected the family with a breeder who was willing to gift them a Golden Retriever puppy—free of charge.
To mark the reunion, Silva updated his original Facebook post, turning his call for help into a message of thanks directed at the family who gave Archie back.
“Your kindness, care, and love for Archie have not gone unnoticed, and I am deeply grateful for everything you’ve done. I appreciate the time and effort you’ve given to ensure his well-being.”
Social Media was not impressed with the unnamed family member who gave Silva’s dog away while he was fighting for his country
