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Kelowna RCMP say a stolen pup has been returned to its rightful owner after it was taken from the Costco parking lot.
According to police, they received a report of the theft around 4:00 p.m. on July 3rd. A family was visiting from Kamloops and left their puppy, an English setter named Bailey, in the truck bed of their vehicle while they went shopping in the store. When the family returned to their vehicle, the dog was gone.
Witnesses on the scene told RCMP that an unknown man had taken the dog, and a description of the man was given to police. Officers conducted extensive patrols of the area and in the early morning hours on July 4th, a man matching the description from witnesses was spotted in the area of Highway 97 and Underhill Street. The 56-year-old admitted to being at the Kelowna Costco location the day before and was arrested for the alleged theft.
Cst. Wyatt Wright with Bailey (Photo Credit: RCMP Handout)
Through further investigation, police learned that the man reportedly observed the puppy in distress, removed the puppy from the back of the vehicle, and took the puppy to his residence with the intention of delivering the animal to the BC SPCA. Police later located Bailey the puppy and returned him safely to his family.
"It was truly rewarding," said Cst. Wyatt Wright, "to be able to locate and return Bailey to his family in such a short period of time. Bailey was obviously a beloved part of their family who were all extremely ecstatic to have him return home."
Cst. Jesse O'Donaghey said, "If you see a dog, who you believe may be in distress inside a vehicle on a hot day, the Kelowna RCMP would like to remind the public to do the following:
-ask nearby stores to page their customers;
-call the BC SPCA Animal Cruelty Hotline at 1-855-6BC-SPCA (1-855-622-7722);
-call your local animal control;
-or contact your local police department;
"Please don't take matters into your own hands and leave the scene with the animal," said Cst. O'Donaghey. "Police would also like to remind the public to consider registering their pets with permanent identification such as a microchip or tattoo. Doing so will assist police in confirming the dog’s identity, and greatly increase the likelihood the dog will be re-united with their guardians."
No charges are being recommended in the incident.
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