Owner Seeks Return of Puppy Taken from Animal Welfare League
Posted
Joe Boals-jboals@timesuniononline.com
The search is on for a puppy taken from the Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County Tuesday. The puppy, a six-month-old female black poodle mix named Eva, was taken around noon by a couple who came into the shelter wanting to adopt. Without communicating with the staff at the shelter, the couple were seen on security footage letting the dog out of an outside pen and driving off in a black Kia SUV. Eva, however, wasn’t up for adoption. An owner was on their way to pick her up. “I’m disappointed in your fellow man, when someone stoops to stealing a dog,” said Ron Harris, Eva’s owner. “Are times that tough that you have to steal a dog?” The puppy had gotten loose from its home and was taken to the shelter by a neighbor, according to Darla McCammon, Animal Welfare League executive director. “If the dog is returned to us unharmed, we will not prosecute,” said McCammon. “We think we’re being more than generous by doing that. I didn’t even sleep that first night.” A witness spoke with a Walmart cashier who stated that sometime after Eva was taken, “a nice couple came through with an adorable black poodle they found in the parking lot,” the witness told the Times-Union. The cashier said the couple purchased a pet cage, food and other items, according to the witness. “I know they’re just animals but you develop an attachment to them. You like to have them around,” Harris stated. “I find it interesting how quickly social media has come to getting this out there. That’s something I didn’t expect.” Eva was last seen wearing a green collar with a bell. The woman seen taking the dog had dark braided hair and wore a large purse with a brick design on the side. The man wore a blue sweatshirt with a brown and green ball cap with a tan emblem on the front. Anyone with information can call the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department at 574-267-5567 or the AWL at 574-267-3008.
