Van with 14 show dogs found in Redding; all dogs are safe

Feom KCRA Sacramento

A white van with 14 show dogs inside was found Thursday in a remote area near Redding a day after they went missing from a fast-food restaurant’s parking lot, Redding police said.

"The van, and more importantly, the 14 dogs, have been recovered. All appear safe and sound," Redding police posted on their Facebook page.

The dogs and van were found in a remote, wooded area south of Redding. The van was parked in direct sunlight, locked up tight, police said.

Officers broke a window to get inside the van to the dogs, who were all "barking and eager to be rescued," officials said.

The dogs had high heart rates from heat and stress, were thirsty, hungry and in need of affection, according to police.

All 14 dogs were taken to Haven Humane Society for veterinary treatment, food, water and to be reunited with the owners.

There is no word on an arrest connected to the incident. No additional details about how the dogs were found was given.

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A dog trainer from Seattle was headed to a dog show in Vallejo when he stopped around 1:20 p.m. at an In-N-Out Burger in Redding for lunch. The trainer left the van running so the dogs could have air conditioning.

While the trainer, Tony Carter, was inside, the van was stolen. The dogs in the van belong to Carter’s clients.

There were several dog breeds -- including rat terriers, yellow labs and rottweilers – inside the van when it was stolen, police said.

One of the stolen dogs belonged to a Sacramento man. Linda Leffel said her miniature Australian shepherd named Blaze was taken. Two top winning dogs in the nation, as well as a pregnant dog, were also in the van.

The van is a 2018 Dodge ProMaster Cargo Van with Washington state license plate number BKD2048. The van has a Seattle Seahawks sticker on the back and the number 12 on the rear window.

Police released surveillance photos of the suspect on Facebook.

No other details were released.