Miss Howarth left Evie in the car for just under 15 minutes as she ran into North Orange Woolworths to pick up supplies, however when she returned the 14-week-old puppy was gone.

The window she’d left slightly unwound had been forced down far enough to enable someone to open the driver-side door and remove the dog.

Miss Howarth said she was distraught at her dog’s disappearance and immediately contacted the RSPCA and the police to see if someone had handed her in.

A few hours later she again contacted an RSPCA worker who said the puppy had been handed in by people who said they’d found her in north Orange.

While Miss Howarth says she’ll never know if the people who handed the dog in found her or took her from the car, she’s just grateful to have her back.

“I’ve learnt my lesson, I’ll never leave her in the car again,” she said.

“In future I’ll take her with me wherever I go.”

Miss Howarth said she’d been going through a rough patch lately and it meant the world to her to be reunited with her pooch.

“Evie is a very loved little puppy,” she said.

tracey.prisk@fairfaxmedia.com.au