One Week Later, Stolen Puppy is Returned to Petland

After a week on the lam, the puppy is back.

The pooch that was stolen from on Jan. 22 has been returned.

Saturday afternoon, a man walked into Petland in Dunwoody holding a white Maltese, giving back the dog that had been stolen one week earlier.

He told employees that the puppy had been given to him or dropped at his house, said Store Manager Kimberly Collins.

“He thought it was ours and said ‘Here you go,’” said Collins. “It definitely wasn’t the gentleman who took the puppy. I guess it was a friend of his.”

The man didn’t wait around. He left quickly after returning the canine.

The dog was . The thief came into the store and asked to play with the dog while he waited for his boyfriend. When store employees became distracted, he ran out the front door, dog in hand, and jumped into a black compact car driven by another person.

After a week away, the puppy seems to be in good health.

“She looked great,” Collins said. “She was hungry, but was active and barking and excited. She was very playful.”

The nine-week-old puppy will be dewormed again, revaccinated, and have a general check-up from a veterinarian, Collins said.

“We’re just letting her readjust right now,” Collins said. “Of course I’ve been giving her a lot of love.”

Collins said theft is a rare occurrence at the store. The last attempted theft of a dog was two years ago.

“This is not something we are going to change policies over, besides talking to the staff about it,” she said. “The gentleman had planned it. Things happen. We’re lucky to have her back. That’s for sure.”

In the meantime, – Romyo Mays Cassadine – and are asking for help in tracking him down.

Anyone with information regarding this suspect or incident is asked to contact the Dunwoody Police Department, Det. Thompson at 678-382-6921 or andrew.thompson@dunwoodyga.gov.

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