DOWNTOWN — A puppy who was up for adoption was stolen Wednesday from a pet store in the South Loop.
The pup, 2-month-old Smarties, was stolen from an adoption center managed by the Anti-Cruelty Society, a rescue that tries to find foster and permanent homes for animals. Now, the group is trying to find Smarties.
Smarties is an Australian shepherd and hound mix who is in good health. She’s been microchipped so the rescue can identify her, but the chip doesn’t allow the rescue group to track her down.
“We’re really looking just to get her back,” said Colette Bradley, a spokeswoman for the group. “Everyone is doing everything they can to try and find her and bring her back.”
The theft happened Wednesday afternoon at the adoption center inside PetSmart, 1101 S. Canal St. Three boys who appeared underage and did not have an adult with them walked into the store, so they were asked to leave, Bradley said.
There was a “confrontation” between a staff member and one of the boys, Bradley said, and when the staffer went to get security the boy emptied his backpack, put Smarties in the bag and walked out.
There is surveillance video, but it hasn’t been released yet, Bradley said.
The puppy was stolen at about 3:20 p.m. when three boys walked into the business, police said. Two of the boys distracted a woman and the third, who appeared the oldest, went to the back of the store and took a dog.
One boy was about 15-16 years old, 5-foot-3 and 115 pounds; one boy was about 11-12 years old, 5-foot-2 and 110 pounds and a third boy was about 14 years old, 5-foot-2 and 110 pounds, police said.
The Anti-Cruelty Society hopes whoever has Smarties will return her to its main location, 510 N. LaSalle Drive, or to its Everyday Adoption Center at the PetSmart.
Anyone with information about the stolen pup can call the Anti-Cruelty Society at 312-644-8338 and then hit 0.
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