UPDATE (Oct. 11, 2022, 5:18 p.m.): ACCT Philly said Tuesday that the man who took a small dog from their Hunting Park location Monday night was the dog's owner.
A family member provided ACCT Philly with paperwork and photos proving that the pup the shelter had named "Withers" was in fact his own.
The shelter confirmed the dog was safe, they said, and the family was in the process of paying the "reclaim" fee.
"We are always glad when a dog is reunited with its owner. However, with over five thousand dogs a year coming into ACCT, it is critical that members of the public follow the process we have established for reuniting pets with their owners," ACCT Philly said in a statement.
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For anyone missing a pet, the shelter encourages you to check out their lost pet tips page. And if your four-legged friend is at ACCT Philly, they ask you check in at the lobby.
Surveillance video captured the moments a man walked into a Philadelphia animal shelter and stole a dog.
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The Animal Care & Control Team of Philadelphia, commonly known as ACCT Philly, said the man drove off with "Withers," one of the small dogs from their Hunting Park location around 5 p.m. on Monday.
The video shows the man scan over the metal crates before kneeling down in front of one. He then removes the dog, placing him underneath his arm as he walks out. It took him about 20 seconds.
Workers said when they tried to stop the man, he sped off in his car.
Withers was just days away from going to his new family, ACCT Philly said.
In a Facebook post, ACCT Philly said, "if you’re reading this and it was you who stole the dog, we want to make sure he is safe. If he was your dog and you were wanting to reclaim him, that’s great as we want to reunite as many pets with their people as possible. But we have a process for reclaiming pets that includes giving you his medical information, as he’s been microchipped and vaccinated."
Sarah Barnett, ACCT Philly’s interim co-executive director, said they’re working with Philadelphia police to track down the vehicle information from the security camera footage.
“We really can’t fathom why someone would steal a dog; we have so many up for adoption and have the lowest adoption fees in the region,” Sarah Barnett, ACCT Philly’s interim co-executive director, said in an email.
Anyone with information was asked to contact ACCT Philly at tips@acctphilly.org or the Philadelphia Police Department anonymous tip line at 215-686-TIPS.
