JACKSONVILLE, AR — A thief breaks into a local animal shelter and takes pet supplies, donations and even a dog!
Investigators dusted for fingerprints inside the Jacksonville Animal Control Shelter this morning, but so far no one has been arrested for this crime.
It happened sometime between 7 o’clock Wednesday night and 6:30 this morning.
The dog-napper took a long list of items before picking out a pet.
Animal Control Manager Hedy Wuelling said, “It’s just unbelievable.”
A flat screen TV is gone, donations missing and expensive dog food pulled from the shelves.
Wuelling says the thief even stole a wastebasket to stuff items inside after breaking in through the front door.
Wuelling said, “It’s no words for it. It’s like stealing from the poor.”
With more than 20 dogs inside the pound, animal control officers say that the thief had a very specific breed in mind, stealing a chihuahua.
Wuelling said, “But I just hope the dog will be in good hands, you never know.”
Jacksonville Resident April Hatfield said, “I’ve been Jacksonville quite some time. They could just come in and find a dog they could actually have instead of trying to steal one. That’s sad for the community.”
Animal control officers are angry saying this crime directly impacts the cats and dogs living at the shelter, waiting for their forever homes.
Wuelling said, “It’s just sad that people do that.”
Fewer homeless pets will be spayed or neutered now because stolen yard sale items would have helped fund those surgeries.
But donations from the community — coming in after this crime — prove people will always pull through to help man’s best friend.
Wuelling says she’s looking into adding surveillance cameras to the building because of this break-in.
If you know anything about this crime, call the Jacksonville Police Department with your tips.
If you would like to follow Melissa Schroeder’s reports on Facebook, you can click here and like her page.
Investigators dusted for fingerprints inside the Jacksonville Animal Control Shelter this morning, but so far no one has been arrested for this crime.
It happened sometime between 7 o’clock Wednesday night and 6:30 this morning.
The dog-napper took a long list of items before picking out a pet.
Animal Control Manager Hedy Wuelling said, “It’s just unbelievable.”
A flat screen TV is gone, donations missing and expensive dog food pulled from the shelves.
Wuelling says the thief even stole a wastebasket to stuff items inside after breaking in through the front door.
Wuelling said, “It’s no words for it. It’s like stealing from the poor.”
With more than 20 dogs inside the pound, animal control officers say that the thief had a very specific breed in mind, stealing a chihuahua.
Wuelling said, “But I just hope the dog will be in good hands, you never know.”
Jacksonville Resident April Hatfield said, “I’ve been Jacksonville quite some time. They could just come in and find a dog they could actually have instead of trying to steal one. That’s sad for the community.”
Animal control officers are angry saying this crime directly impacts the cats and dogs living at the shelter, waiting for their forever homes.
Wuelling said, “It’s just sad that people do that.”
Fewer homeless pets will be spayed or neutered now because stolen yard sale items would have helped fund those surgeries.
But donations from the community — coming in after this crime — prove people will always pull through to help man’s best friend.
Wuelling says she’s looking into adding surveillance cameras to the building because of this break-in.
If you know anything about this crime, call the Jacksonville Police Department with your tips.
If you would like to follow Melissa Schroeder’s reports on Facebook, you can click here and like her page.
