Social media frenzy finds stolen 4-week-old puppy

NEW CARLISLE — UPDATE @ 7:15 p.m. (Nov. 7)

The director of an animal rescue said social media is the reason a stolen 4-week-old puppy was found.

"If there could be an Amber Alert for puppies, this was it," Molly Murray, founder of Pawsitive Warriors Pet Rescue of New Carlisle.

A woman showed up Nov. 2 to volunteer at the shelter, founder Molly Murray said.

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“She showed up at about noon that day and that particular day I didn’t have any volunteers here. I was here by myself taking care of dogs. So when she walked in, I was so excited to have help I didn't even think to have her fill out the paperwork,” Murray said.

The volunteer stayed for 10 hours. She washed and cleaned cages, until Murray ran to help a man who fell in the parking lot, “which gave her a few minutes alone so she took one of the cages she was cleaning out for me and a puppy, stashed it and out she went.”

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Lendy is the puppy she took, but no one realized he was gone until the next day, when the puppy count went from six to five.

“I put the (social media) post out there and the community, there were all over it and it was just amazing the information people were able to obtain and send to me,” Murray said.

Lendy was found two hours away in Circleville. He was returned Sunday.

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Murray was worried sick because he is still nursing and too young to be separated from his mother. He is doing fine now, she said.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is investigating, but no charges have been filed.

UPDATE @ 10 a.m: (Nov. 5)

The 4-week-old puppy that was taken from it’s New Carlisle shelter has been found safe.

Shelter director, Molly Murray, said the pup was found in a box in front of a Circleville GameStop store. A worker who saw the media coverage was able to care for the dog until Murray was contacted.

FIRST REPORT

Time is running out for a nursing puppy stolen earlier this week from the Pawsitive Warriors Rescue of New Carlisle.

Shelter director Molly Murray has made desperate pleas for help and for a so-called volunteer to return the 4-week-old pup too young to not have its mother for nourishment and warmth.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office tonight confirmed a report was made regarding the missing puppy.

There have been hundreds of comments and shares on social media, and several tips came in to our newsroom about the puppy's dire situation.

"Time is ticking for our precious baby boy. The longer time goes, the less likely he is to make it," Murray posted on the rescue's Facebook page.

Update: still no puppy. 😭😭

Posted by Pawsitive Warriors Rescue of New Carlisle on Friday, November 3, 2017

On the Pawsitive Warriors Rescue of New Carlisle Facebook page, Murray also posted screenshots of text conversations with a woman she said had volunteered at the shelter and two men she said also were involved. The exchanges appear to indicate the puppy was stolen to pay back a debt, and not to be kept as a pet.

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