A very small puppy that has gone through a very big ordeal has now been reunited with his family.

Chihuahua mix Norman-Carl was stolen from Vancouver's Shaughnessy neighbourhood last week, after the dog got outside during the commotion of a nearby film shoot.

The wee puppy was last seen being scooped up by someone riding a bicycle, who then rode off onto a nearby bike trail.

The theft of Norman-Carl, a rescue from a high-kill shelter in California, devastated the family of Merideth Schutter.

The mom and her three children plastered the neighbourhood with missing dog posters, and also posted on Facebook, Kijiji and Craigslist in hopes someone had seen their beloved puppy.

Schutter said she was scouring the Downtown Eastside on Sunday and handed out flyers to Vancouver police officers stationed in the area. Within several hours, Schutter said the officers had arrested the two men who had Norman, and the dog was taken to the city shelter.

In a statement released on Monday, however, police offered a slightly different account, saying officers happened to find the dog on Sunday afternoon while they arrested a pair of cyclists on unrelated charges at West 16th Avenue and Arbutus Street.

“The officers found a small dog in the front basket of the woman’s bike and later determined that this dog was stolen,” the statement said. “With the help of our City of Vancouver Animal Services the dog was reunited with his rightful owner.”

After picking up Norman-Carl from the pound Sunday night, Schutter said the pup was in good condition, other than smelling "like an ashtray."

"He is a little stinky, but looks good and well cared for. He enjoyed a bubble bath and a nice meal. [He is] cuddled up beside me now...his happy place," she said.