Toronto police officers are asking for the public’s help in finding a six-year-old dog named Stella that was allegedly stolen from her owner in the city’s east end Tuesday morning.
According to a statement issued by the service, the incident happened at around 5:30 a.m. near the corner of Woodbine Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard East.
Investigators said a woman was out walking Stella — a female American Bulldog-Pitbull dog — when she struck up a conversation with a man. As they talked, officers said the dog went inside the man’s newer-style, grey- or beige-coloured minivan to cool off.
“The man then pushed the woman and drove away with her dog inside his vehicle,” the statement said.
Officers said Stella has white fur on her chest and in between her eyes, and was last seen with a blue leash.
Investigators described the man as being between five-foot-four and five-foot-five, weighing approximately 150 pounds, and having a clean-shaven face with dark brown, clean-cut hair. They said he spoke with an unspecified accent.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Stella and/or the incident was asked to call police at 416-808-5500 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.