An Adelaide family is thrilled to have Dolly back – 13 years after the poodle-maltese-cross went missing.

Dolly disappeared in December 2002 from a family friend’s locked backyard, where she was being minded while her owner, Rachel Shephard, was in hospital having a baby.

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The family suspected Dolly had been dognapped, and spent weeks door knocking and calling radio stations before giving up hope of ever seeing their little pup again.

“We just gave up and were resigned to the fact that she would most likely have died,” Ms Shephard said.

Dolly: tucked up with owner Rachel Shephard. (AAP Image/Brenton Edwards).

However, Ms Shephard later discovered Dolly had been sold in a supermarket carpark and ended up with a woman who developed dementia. She was eventually found dirty and unclipped in someone’s backyard.

After being put on the Lost Pets of South Australia Facebook page and traced by her microchip, Dolly was finally returned to her original family.

“Her little face is the same and she knows me – she follows me from room to room, even into the shower,” Ms Shephard said.

“I feel like we have missed out on the majority of her life but at least now we can look after her in her old age.”

Ms Shephard plans to visit Dolly’s previous owner, so she and Dolly can still have contact with each other.