All dogs reunited with owners after grooming van stolen in Chicago

Pet owners had an emotional reunion with their dogs after they were stolen along with a grooming van on Chicago's North Side.(WLS via CNN Newsource)

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The story of a stolen pet van filled with dogs had a happy ending and plenty of emotional reunions on Tuesday.

The theft happened at about 8:55 a.m. outside a Chicago pet salon, police said.

The dogs were being dropped off after spending time at Markay’s Castle of the Dogs, a dog boarding facility in Tippecanoe, Indiana.

David Cox, the owner of the boarding facility, said he was dropping off the pets in Lincoln Park. He left the vehicle running to keep the animals comfortable.

“I just went in inside with the dogs’ belongings and turned around to come out and get the dogs to take them inside, and the van was gone,” Cox said.

Cox says the thief tossed the cellphone he had left in the van on the street after stealing the vehicle.

With the help of lots of social media posts about the theft, Chicago police tracked down the 2021 blue and black transit van in an alley near Lakewood and Oakdale avenues in Lakeview.

The vehicle’s licence plates had been changed by the time it was found by police.

Along with the dogs, the van had some lawn equipment, an air mattress and trash.

All dogs were unharmed and reunited with their owners.

Nicholas Iwaniuk hugged his dog Shadow during what he said has been the longest morning of his life.

“It’s been the worst three hours,” Iwaniuk said. “This is the best news possible that she’s safe. Everybody’s safe that’s all that really matters.”

The 10-year-old Austrian collie mix was one of eight dogs.

Pet owner Monica Bain was there when it happened, she said she was just glad to have her dog Cash back.

“Anybody would be terrified, knowing that our dogs are in a van that we don’t know where it’s going, and we don’t know if we’re going to get them back,” Bain said.

“All I can say is I’m sorry and I am,” Cox said. “This shouldn’t have happened. People trust us, my wife and I and our team to take care of their dogs.”

The pet transport now says they’ll add additional security to try to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

Chicago police said a 46-year-old man was taken into custody. Charges are pending.