Someone Stole This 12-Week-Old Puppy From NJ Shelter, Cops Say

VOORHEES — Police are looking for a 12-week-old puppy recovering from surgery that a shelter reported as stolen on Saturday.

Phoenix was taken from the Voorhees Animal Orphanage on Saturday afternoon and was still missing as of Sunday morning, according to Voorhees police Capt. Carmen Del Palazzo. The puppy still had stitches on her abdomen from being spayed, according to Del Palazzo.

A woman with blonde hair driving a small white sedan took Phoenix, spokeswoman Jennifer Bailey told New Jersey 101.5.

"The person that took the puppy walked around the front of the building to the outdoor kennel runs. The puppy had been inside her kennel, and the door had just been opened to allow her access to her outdoor run for a potty break. The person unclipped the guillotine gate and took the puppy," Bailey said.

She said because of the construction security cameras have not yet been installed.

UPDATE: Sunday, 6 p.m.: According to the shelter, the puppy was found in the bathroom of a Petsmart on Route 73 in West Berlin Sunday afternoon. 

“A customer went in and saw the puppy and came out and got employee. They recognized her right away as the stolen puppy. Police are reviewing the surveillance camera,” Jennifer Bailey, from the shelter, said.

Voorhees police said Sunday that no arrest had yet been made.

Del Palazzo asked anyone with information about this incident to call Voorhees police at 856-428-5400.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ