Old English Sheepdog stolen from Humane Society-Bend Oregon

Bend shelter trying to find stolen dog
Not first pooch heisted from Humane Society

By Barney Lerten, KTVZ.com news sources

A prospective adopter of an Old English sheepdog at the Humane Society of Central Oregon was allowed to take the dog to an outdoor exercise kennel, but instead stole the animal, shelter officials said Monday.
The agency is seeking help finding the purebred young adult female, a large gray and white dog with long, shaggy hair, which was taken around 5:30 p.m. last Wednesday, said Lynne Ouchida, community outreach coordinator for the humane society.


Humane Society of Central
Oregon looking for stolen female
Old English Sheepdog, similar to
litter-mate shown here. (Humane S
ociety of C. Oregon photo)

Ouchida noted that theft of a companion animal is classified as first-degree theft, a Class C felony.

Anyone who has seen or noticed a new Old English Sheepdog in their neighborhood is asked to contact the humane society at 382-3537 or 330-7096.

"We're definitely going to increase security for when we let people take out dogs," Ouchida said. "Someone stole a dachshund from us awhile ago."

The shelter official said a police report has been filed on the apparent theft. "We've called all the vets, all the groomers, and we're trying to get the word out among dog people," Ouchida added.

She said it's not likely the dog's former owners were involved, as the dog and a littermate were released to the shelter for adoption.

"We want to get it back, so we can make sure it goes to a good home," Ouchida said. The miniature dachshund was sold by the thief who took it, she added.

The shelter is looking at adding security cameras on the shelter's exterior, Ouchida said. The apparent theft is another example of an area that's getting bigger, in sometimes negative ways, she added.

"People steal the donation box off the counter on the front desk," she said. "Someone stole our donation box at Bend Pet Express a few weeks ago. It's very disheartening."

Both that an oes was turned into a shelter, and that it was stolen.

Happy ending: Stolen sheepdog recovered
Microchip ID told the tale

By Barney Lerten, KTVZ.com

An anonymous tip, a microchip and a big round of public attention led to the recovery Wednesday of an Old English Sheepdog stolen from the Humane Society of Central Oregon shelter a week ago, officials said.

The shelter got a tip from an anonymous caller Wednesday afternoon, and Bend police were able to successfully retrieve the young adult female, said Lynne Ouchida, community outreach coordinator.


Bend police Officers Jason Gault, Crea Lancaster
returned stolen Old English Sheepdog to
Troy Kerstetter of the Humane Society of
C. Oregon. (Humane Society photo)

"A microchip implanted in the dog provided positive proof that it was the missing dog," Ouchida said.

The woman who had the dog initially denied it was the one, Ouchida said. No charges have been filed, but the case remains under investigation, she added.

Ouchida thanked NewsChannel 21 and other media for making the public aware of the theft, which sadly is not the first time an animal has been taken from the shelter without permission.

"We received many phone calls and we checked on each one," she said. "Thank you, from all of us."