BILLINGS — The employees of Vet-To-Go veterinary clinic in Billings are coming together to support one of their colleagues who had her car, phone, and three dogs stolen on Saturday morning.
As of now, neither the suspect nor the car have been located, but two of the dogs were found around 3 a.m. on Sunday, with one sadly deceased and the other severely injured.
The woman, who prefers to remain anonymous, was dropping off one of her four dogs at Quirky K9 Grooming on 24th Street West. She had left her other three dogs in her car with the air conditioner on, when suddenly her car, along with her belongings and dogs, was stolen.
One dog was left in its crate a few blocks away, but the other two, Posh and Tye, were still missing.
The police have been informed, and the suspect is described as a thin male with long black hair.
Upon learning about the incident, several employees of Vet-To-Go, including Lizzie Rupp, Laura Rareinhardt, Taylor Curtiss, Amy Lamm, Kendra Slotsue, and Nicole Dell, were deeply disturbed.
“Heartbreaking,” Rupp expressed.
Curtiss added, “Something I never want to hear as a pet owner.”
The women took swift action, turning to social media to raise awareness.
The post quickly gained traction and was shared widely on Facebook.
Rareinhardt mentioned, “Everyone was alert. People were driving around, searching for the vehicle, and offering their help in any way they could.”
The French bulldogs were missing for hours until a tip led to the spotting of the car in Pryor. Some items of the woman had been removed from the vehicle, such as a dog ramp and floor mat.
Eventually, the woman and her dogs were located on the side of the road. Posh was found deceased in her crate, while Tye was alive but injured, likely due to rat poison. Tye received treatment at Moore Lane Veterinary Hospital and was discharged later that day.
“He is back home now receiving all the love he deserves,” Rareinhardt shared.
Many are left feeling a mix of emotions like anger, heartbreak, and shock regarding the situation.
“It’s a range of emotions: anger, heartbreak, shock,” Dell expressed. “We all imagine if it were us. And in a way, it is like ours. We are a family here,” Lamm added.
Currently, the focus is on Tye’s recovery and the overwhelming support received from the community.
“We just want to extend our gratitude for the shares, donations, and prayers. Every little bit helps, and we are thankful for all of it,” Dell stated.
“There are so many people who don’t know her but dropped everything to support. The veterinary clinics in the area shared our post. The amount of support shown has been incredible and heartwarming,” Rareinhardt added.
The clinic has initiated a GoFundMe campaign for the victim. To contribute, click here.
