Post by RealPitBull on Jan 15, 2008 8:27:04 GMT -5
January 15, 2008
Pit bull taken from shelter
Donna Jones
Sentinel Staff Writer
For the second time in as many weeks, a dog has been stolen from the Watsonville Animal Shelter.
www.santacruzsentinel.com/story.php?storySection=Local&sid=64910
Contributed photo
Mona, a pit bull picked up as a stray by animal control officials Thursday in Watsonville, disappeared from the Watsonville Animal Shelter after closing Friday
Mona, a pit bull picked up as a stray by animal control officials Thursday at Riverside Drive and Main Street, disappeared from the shelter on Airport Boulevard sometime after closing Friday.
Nor can the 17-year-old who came looking for the dog earlier that day be found.
"If we find out who took this dog, we will have the police go and get the dog and bring her back," said Tricia Geisreiter, spokeswoman for the Santa Cruz County Animal Services Authority, which runs the shelter. "We will arrest the person that stole the dog."
Geisreiter said the 17-year-old who claimed to be Mona's owner had photos of the tan pit bull on his cell phone. He told shelter staff his family can't have dogs where they live so Mona stayed with an aunt, and was normally kept outdoors on a chain.
The teen was told since he was not 18, he would have to return with his parents to reclaim the dog. He also would have to pay $162 if he agreed to get Mona spayed or $278 if he wanted to keep her unaltered.
"It was obvious he was very attached," Geisreiter said. "He was very willing and eager to return with his parents."
But when police tried to contact him after Mona disappeared, the address and phone number he gave staff turned out to be bogus, she said.
It's unclear how the dog was removed from the shelter, which was locked with an alarm system.
If the 17-year-old decided to illegally reclaim his dog, he wouldn't be the first.
Pit bull taken from shelter
Donna Jones
Sentinel Staff Writer
For the second time in as many weeks, a dog has been stolen from the Watsonville Animal Shelter.
www.santacruzsentinel.com/story.php?storySection=Local&sid=64910
Contributed photo
Mona, a pit bull picked up as a stray by animal control officials Thursday in Watsonville, disappeared from the Watsonville Animal Shelter after closing Friday
Mona, a pit bull picked up as a stray by animal control officials Thursday at Riverside Drive and Main Street, disappeared from the shelter on Airport Boulevard sometime after closing Friday.
Nor can the 17-year-old who came looking for the dog earlier that day be found.
"If we find out who took this dog, we will have the police go and get the dog and bring her back," said Tricia Geisreiter, spokeswoman for the Santa Cruz County Animal Services Authority, which runs the shelter. "We will arrest the person that stole the dog."
Geisreiter said the 17-year-old who claimed to be Mona's owner had photos of the tan pit bull on his cell phone. He told shelter staff his family can't have dogs where they live so Mona stayed with an aunt, and was normally kept outdoors on a chain.
The teen was told since he was not 18, he would have to return with his parents to reclaim the dog. He also would have to pay $162 if he agreed to get Mona spayed or $278 if he wanted to keep her unaltered.
"It was obvious he was very attached," Geisreiter said. "He was very willing and eager to return with his parents."
But when police tried to contact him after Mona disappeared, the address and phone number he gave staff turned out to be bogus, she said.
It's unclear how the dog was removed from the shelter, which was locked with an alarm system.
If the 17-year-old decided to illegally reclaim his dog, he wouldn't be the first.