Dog stolen from shelter Gary, IN (US) Incident Date: Monday, Jun 26, 2006 County: Lake Local Map: available Disposition: Open Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

Case ID: 9103 Classification: Theft Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in IN (US) Reward: $1,000 Login to Watch this Case

The director of the city�s Humane Society chapter is offering a $1,000 reward for the return of a 5-month-old puppy stolen from its former Miller headquarters on June 26.

The dog, a brindle and white male boxer mix, was taken from a fenced area at the former Humane Society of Northwest Indiana, 6800 E. 7th Ave., between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The thieves appear to have rolled up a corner of the chain link fencing surrounding the outdoor kennels at the building, and were likely able to coax �Tango� through the opening.

Since the dog is not purebred, and has a friendly disposition, Clayton said she and her staff of volunteers fear the dog will likely end up as �bait� used to goad more aggressive dogs to fight.

�He was so sweet,� Clayton said, noting that several more aggressive, full-grown dogs also were in the outdoor enclosure.

�They took the one that was easy to take. They probably took him because they were afraid of the other ones,� she said.

A business owner who has a clear view of the access road to the former headquarters said he saw two cars turn off Melton Road down the seldom-used section of East 7th Avenue that leads to the shelter.

The cars, a red Kia and an older model Oldsmobile, each carrying three men, pulled out soon after, Clayton said.

Humane Society volunteers had relocated from the remote, wooded former headquarters to a new location at 6100 Melton weeks ago.

Tango and a handful of other dogs stayed at the old location and were left outside, sometimes unattended, for several hours. Dogs are not left outside without supervision any longer, Clayton said.

The outdoor kennels are surrounded by a 6-foot-tall chainlink fence topped with barbed wire, and few people were even aware where the shelter was located, Clayton said.

�Nobody could find us when we were back there,� she said. �That�s why we moved in the first place.�

Lake County Sheriff�s police are investigating a break-in attempt two weeks ago at the county Animal Control Shelter, where would-be thieves attempted to steal fighting dogs confiscated from Carlton Davis Jr., a Gary firefighter accused of running a pit-bull fighting operation.

Anyone who drops off the missing dog at the new Humane Society offices, or makes other arrangements for an exchange, will receive the reward, no questions asked, Clayton said.

Clayton said she is donating the reward money herself.

�All we want is the safe return of the puppy. We don�t care about anything else,� she said. �In an area where dog fighting is so prevalent, we�re all concerned about her future.

�Right now, it�s not looking very good.�

Contact the Humane Society of Northwest Indiana at 938-3339.

If you have information on this case, please contact:
Humane Society of Northwest Indiana
938-3339

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Post-Tribune - June 29, 2006

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