Dog stolen from shelter San Francisco, CA (US) Incident Date: Sunday, Mar 18, 2007 County: San Francisco Local Map: available Disposition: Open Case Images: 1 files available Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

Case ID: 11065 Classification: Theft Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in CA (US) Reward: $1,000 Login to Watch this Case

An official at the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said Monday that staff members are terrified for a dog kidnapped from a shelter on Sunday and hope a $1,000 reward will bring him back to safety.

Surveillance cameras captured the image of three of the four men suspected of stealing Tai, a 6-year-old rat terrier mix, said Kiska Icard, program management director for the SFSPCA.

A $1,000 no-questions-asked reward has been offered for Tai's safe return.

"The staff is worried sick about Tai," Kiska said. "The love of animals crosses all lines. Hopefully by putting the reward out to the community, someone will have seen something and will let us know."

Kiska said that about 4:40 p.m. Sunday, four young men walked into the shelter together. Two of them then walked back out and waited in a gray or silver four-door sedan in the parking lot.

The other two men walked in through a side entrance and grabbed the closest dog and ran out to the car.

Tai was screaming the entire time.

"He's very vocal. We think he's vocalizing wherever he is right now and hopefully making his presence known," Kiska said.

Kiska said the question of Tai's fate is particularly worrisome because the men didn't seem to want to adopt a pet.

"There was no interest shown in the animal," she said.

Kiska said shelter workers are trying not to dwell on what she called the "worst case scenario," that Tai was stolen to be used as "bait" in dog fighting.

Tai is described as a black and white, 25-pound "chubby" rat terrier mix.

The three men caught on surveillance video are described as in their late teens or early 20s. One suspect is African American with gold teeth, another is Hispanic with short "buzzed" hair and a goatee, and the third is Hispanic or Asian with braids. Kiska said one of the men was wearing a Nike jacket with a distinctive pattern.

Photos of the suspects and Tai can be seen on the shelter's Web site at www.sfspca.org.

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References

KTVU - March 19, 2007

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