Three dogs were found unharmed hours after a Dogaholics transport van was stolen Thursday afternoon in Lake View on the North Side.
The van was found by 10th District officers abandoned about five miles away in a field after a citizen called police saying the vehicle was in the 1600 block of South Lawndale Avenue with the dogs — a Great Dane and two short-haired pointers — still inside, police said. No one was in custody.
An employee had parked the white van just before 5 p.m. in an alley behind the business in the 3600 block of North Southport Avenue, Chicago police said.
The driver left the keys in the ignition while he ran inside to grab another set of keys, according to police and Dogaholics general manager Ben Montgomery. When the driver returned, someone was driving away in the van, police said.
Dogaholics offers pet grooming, boarding and daycare services. Montgomery said the driver was preparing to bring the three dogs back to their home.
All three dogs belonged to the same owner, Montgomery said. The Great Dane is about one year old and the short-haired pointer siblings are closer to five years old, according to Montgomery.
