Dog with special needs and in hospice care has wheelchair stolen from Florida rescue: Police
St. Cloud police are searching for the person who stole a wheelchair for a special needs dog in hospice care from a Central Florida rescue. Image is courtesy of the St. Cloud Police Department and The Pittie Party of Central Florida.
ST. CLOUD, Fla. - Police are searching for a stolen wheelchair after someone walked up to a porch and took the specialized device meant for a dog in hospice care, leaving her with no way to move around independently.
St. Cloud police investigation
What we know:
A specialized wheelchair belonging to a dog named Baby was stolen directly from a porch, according to the St. Cloud Police Department. Baby is a hospice resident at The Pittie Party of Central Florida and relies entirely on the custom equipment to walk and go potty. Police said an unknown person walked up to the residence and took the expensive chair.
The organization shared its heartbreak online, noting that it lacked extra funds to replace the custom equipment and invited community members to meet Baby if they were willing to assist. Following public outreach, the rescue group announced that an organization called Ruck9 ordered and shipped a new pink wheelchair for Baby. The rescue noted that community members also donated money to cover costs, and anyone requesting a refund can message the group directly to get their funds back.
What we don't know:
Officers have not publicly identified any suspects or confirmed if video surveillance captured the theft from the porch. Police have not stated whether the original wheelchair has been located or recovered.
What they're saying:
"We are heartbroken that someone would do this. We don’t have extra funds to order a new one. So upsetting. Would anyone like to help us get a new one? You can even meet her if you’re willing to help. She has no way to go potty on her own and trying to hold her is very difficult without this chair," The Pittie Party of Central Florida wrote in a social media post.
The organization later added praise for law enforcement efforts: "A big thank you to Chief of Police, Douglas Goerke and his police department, for their dedication in trying to figure out what happened to her chair. I’m sure the person is shaking in their boots right about now with the exposure this has gotten".
What you can do:
Anyone with tips or information regarding the location of the stolen wheelchair or who took it is asked to call the St. Cloud Police Department at 407-891-6700.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the St. Cloud Police Department, which posted details on Facebook requesting assistance, as well as social media posts from The Pittie Party of Central Florida.