1 Police Dog Found, 2 Still Missing
LARKSPUR, Colo. (CBS4) - One of three lost police dogs from a training facility has been found near Palmer Lake -- about 10 miles from where it went missing.
Two German shepherds are still missing after 13 dogs were released from a private kennel either late Friday or early Saturday. Ten were secured nearly immediately, but three of the more highly-trained dogs proved elusive.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office, which asked the public not to approach the dogs because they can behave aggressively, speculated someone may have released the dogs because they are valuable. The three missing animals were worth an estimated $100,000.
The 16-month-old German shepherd puppy that was recovered seemed excited to be back home at the Gunbil German Shepherds kennels in Larkspur.
"Yeah, her paws were raw like she had been running for a while," dog trainer Marie Pauciello said.
On Saturday morning David Whitmore saw the dog in his Palmer Lake backyard.
"It seemed friendly, seemed like any other dog that tends to run around the neighborhood," Whitmore said.
Neighbors called police who took the pup home. The location of the other dogs is still unknown.
"It's just heart breaking, you know, I am sure the dogs are scared and confused. It's just not fair," Pauciello said.
Pauciello says they were taken from the kennels. Others were let loose but stayed on the grounds. She believes the three dogs were driven away from the site and believes the criminals knew the dogs.
"Because it's gutsy to go into a kennel full of German shepherds and let them all out not knowing how they're going to react," Pauciello said.
Douglas County Undersheriff Tony Spurlock agrees.
"These dogs probably would not have gone freely with anyone if they didn't know them," Spurlock said.
As the search for the remaining two missing dogs intensifies, Pauciello is asking the dog-nappers to send the pups home.
"They are so sweet, they don't deserve this," she said.
One of the missing puppies has some kind of military training but neither missing dog is considered vicious and the public is not in any danger.
Anyone who spots the missing dogs is asked to call the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
Related: Search Continues For Police Dogs Released From Kennel In Larkspur
