From $7K reward to aerial ad, sky's the limit in quest for stolen dog

'I have to get him back'

Benjamin Franklin, the founding father whose face is pictured on the $100 bill, once described ready money and dogs as two of the most faithful friends.

More than 200 years later, Emilie Talermo is more than willing to trade one for the other, offering a $7,000 reward for the return of her blue-eyed miniature Australian shepherd. Jackson, 5, was stolen outside a San Francisco grocery store. She's also spending $1,200 on a plane to carry an aerial ad displaying the address of the website set up to find the 28-pound dog: www.bringjacksonhome.com.

Along with friends, she has handed out thousands of flyers.

Emilie Talermo's dog Jackson - The Associated Press

The reward comes with no questions asked, said Talermo, who told FOX Business she has been blown away by the support she received.

"Everyone that has known me over the years knows that my love for Jackson runs deep, and wanted to help in any way they can, " Talermo said Friday. "In so much heartbreak, there is still so much love. That feels incredibly powerful,"

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Emilie Talermo -- The Associated Press

To help finance her search, which has since gained worldwide recognition, Talermo launched a GoFundMe entitled "Bring Jackson Home," which has garnered a flood of donations.

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“This situation has caused so much pain and heartbreak and rallied a community to help get him home," she wrote on the GoFundMe page. "I just want my precious little boy to come back in my arms where he belongs.”

To date, the fundraiser has garnered 234 donations totaling more than $9,000, surpassing Talermo’s goal of $7,000. She plans to donate the extra money to San Francisco-based Rocket Dog Rescue.

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The organization has been running for more than 18 years, saving the lives of over 10,500 animals. "They've jumped in to help, which I'm so very grateful for," said Talermo, whose search efforts are in full swing this weekend.

"I still don’t have Jackson. And that is a very real empty feeling," she said. "I have to get him back. It’s not an option."

Talermo even posted on social media a few safe, anonymous options for whomever has the dog to drop him off. Tipsters can leave information anonymously with the San Francisco Police Department at 415-575-4444.

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