The Frisco Police Department is looking to identify a woman who stole a puppy from Petland in Frisco.
The theft occurred on the evening of Oct. 24, 2023, at the 2900 block of Preston Road. As reported by WFAA, Petland staff stated that a woman requested permission from an employee to spend time with an 11-week-old miniature schnauzer in one of the store's socialization rooms.
A photo of the stolen puppy can be found below:
Petland reports that the woman spent approximately seven minutes visiting with the puppy and later discussed her intent to buy it with a store employee. As the employee went to fetch the puppy's records, the store's security cameras recorded the woman hastily leaving the store and making a dash for her vehicle.
Upon her exit, the employee returned and attempted to note the license plate number on her vehicle but was unable to do so.
In April 2023, the Texas Attorney General began probing Petland for alleged violations of consumer protection laws related to puppy mill animals. On April 27, a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) was issued, requesting documentation from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) regarding Midwest puppy mills supplying Petland and Petland's own practices. Despite Petland's denial of sourcing animals from puppy mills, public records and HSUS investigations suggest otherwise.
Two Texas Petland stores, in Frisco and Tyler, were subjects of HSUS undercover investigations, which began in 2019. Citations for the alleged violations of the city animal control ordinance were placed against the Frisco Petland store after the HSUS investigators presented documentation of underweight and ill puppies.
The Frisco investigation was initially terminated when the HSUS undercover investigator contracted campylobacter, a bacterial infection that can be transmitted from animals to humans. An investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked over 100 cases of campylobacter infections in humans to puppies from Petland stores.
Frisco police told Local Profile the stolen puppy is valued at $2,500. However because the investigation is still ongoing, police do not have further information about the puppy or suspect.
If you possess any information about the individual's whereabouts or the puppy's whereabouts, please contact the Frisco Police Department at 972.292.6000.
