Feb. 19--Seven dogs from a pet day care center were found shivering but safe Thursday morning, a day after a van carrying them was stolen at gunpoint in the River West neighborhood, police said.
The van was found in the 2100 block of South Wabash Avenue about 11 a.m., police said. The dogs appeared to be cold but otherwise OK, authorities said.
Daisy Bowers, owner of Ultimate Hair Designs at 2109 S Wabash Avenue, said she called 911 after she noticed a dog sitting in the front seat of a van across the street.
"I saw the van and then noticed the dog," she said. "It's too cold out here for anything that's alive to be out there without any attention."
The van was stolen around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday when two men approached the driver for Urban Out Sitters at the intersection of Milwaukee, Ogden and Chicago avenues, according to police.
"They ordered him out of the car, they hopped in the car and took off," said Joseph Giannini, owner of Urban Out Sitters. "Nobody was hurt, just shaken up."
Giannini said the dogs were being returned to their owners at the time of the carjacking. He doesn't think the thieves knew the van was carrying dogs because it did not have any markings. The dogs were in cages back in the passenger area, he said.
"I think they were more just trying to get a ride," Giannini said.
The two drove the van southeast on Milwaukee Avenue, according to police. Giannini described the van as a 2002 Silver Chrysler Town and Country and said the license plate number is R188669.
Giannini stressed that there were no keys or information about the homes of the dogs inside the van. He said his main concern is the safety and well-being of the animals, especially with the subzero temperatures.
He said the dogs belong to longtime clients and that his workers have developed strong bonds with the dogs they care for five days a week.
"Everybody's very concerned for the safety of their dogs. ... Everybody's devastated," Giannini said. "This isn't easy, these are dogs that are part of our family."
He said the men were between 18 and 25. Police said one suspect was wearing a black puffy coat and the other one was wearing a gray-hooded sweatshirt under a black jacket.
