Detroit — When thieves forced their way into Make A Difference Rescue early Wednesday and stole four dogs, the animal shelter’s dedicated staff and volunteers refused to stop searching until they were found.
A good Samaritan led to one pilfered pup the same day. And amid an outpouring of support, dogged determination resulted in recovering the other three almost exactly 24 hours after the shocking theft.
“We didn’t want to give up because of the ‘what if’?” said Jennifer Moore, a kennel attendant with MADR who helped find the trio early Thursday. “We had that kind of stuck in our brains and that kept us going.”
Now, Willow, Titus, Holly and Jaxon are back at the east-side facility they call home and Detroit police continue seeking the suspects behind their brief disappearance.
Meanwhile, a generous donor plans to match up to $500,000 through a fundraiser.
It’s a whirlwind, fairytale ending that could easily have been a nightmare.
“There are just no words,” said Judie Jones, founder and director of MADR, a nonprofit that started in 2010. “I mean, the relief that comes off your shoulders that they’re safe and not hurt — it’s just fantastic.”
The safety of the four rescue dogs was paramount as Jones and her staff struggled to cope with the unwanted intrusion Wednesday at their 5,000-square-foot no-kill facility on Harper on Detroit’s east side.
The incident unfolded minutes after a security guard wrapped a shift around 2:30 a.m.
Surveillance footage captured as many as four people, possibly young males, smashing through a front window, rifling through an office and, after attempting to cart off sizeable food bins, seizing the dogs.
Ashley Swistak, a kennel attendant who has had ties with the shelter for more than decade, was horrified when she arrived around 8 a.m. Thursday and spotted the damage. She and other staff immediately sprang into action to alert authorities, spread the word and canvass the neighborhood.
“It’s just something you don’t ever want to go through,” Swistak told The News from the shelter Thursday. “The awful thoughts — you wonder what these dogs are going through, what’s happening to them.”
Fortunately, the hastily made posters highlighting a $2,000 reward led to an early break. A construction worker eyed Willow, a nearly 2-year-old black pit bull, in an abandoned garage on nearby Balfour.
She was seemingly too paralyzed with fear in a new environment to leave, Jones said. “You could hear her teeth chattering. That’s how nervous she was.”
Acting on news from residents that Willow had possibly been running with Holly before she was discovered, volunteers and workers spent the rest of the day combing the neighborhood for clues.
Moore and another attendant, Robin Honkanen, were the last of the search party. The pair drove around in a truck into the early hours, figuring the missing three dogs could not have ventured far.
They were right. Somewhere near Whittier and McKinney, Honkanen asked Moore to stop driving when she noticed what sounded like Titus’ distinctive barking. “I’ve known Titus for three years. When I heard that bark, I just knew it was him,” she said. “So we just traveled closer to that area.”
The two eventually traced the barks through an alley to a boarded-up, multi-level apartment building and called Detroit police. They waited for what seemed like an eternity until the officers pushed through an opening that had clearly been repositioned and found Titus on the first floor.
“We wanted to make sure he wouldn’t charge the police, and we walked him out,” Moore said. “The cops proceeded to go up to the second floor, which had a piece of privacy fencing blocking the entryway … When they moved that out of the way, Holly had the run of the hallway.”
After happily greeting the year-old pit-terrier mix, Moore looked to the left and noticed two doors tied together with rope. Suspecting the thieves separated the canines, she asked an officer to check there for Jaxon. Sure enough, they found the 3-year-old gray pit bull curled up on a black garbage bag.
“We were so ecstatic,” she said. “I had so many emotions going on. I couldn’t believe it was real. I thought it was a dream.”
The officers helped return all three pups to MARD, which was about a half-mile away, where Swistak and Jones were ready and waiting.
“It was the most incredible feeling in the world to have those hugs and kisses from them,” Swistak said. “Nothing better than that. They were very happy to be back here.”
Holly appeared unharmed. So did Titus, who has an ulcer, though he has barely left his raised bed. Jaxon, however, required a trip to Animal Wellness Clinic of Troy after Jones noticed puncture wounds and swollen legs. He’s now on pain medication and antibiotics, she said.
As the dogs readjust, an investigation to find the suspect continues, said Cpl. Dan Donakowski, a spokesman for the Detroit Police Department.
Anyone with information is asked to call the DPD 5th Precinct at (313) 596-5540. Crime Stoppers of Michigan accepts anonymous tips at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
Meanwhile, staffers are turning to bolstering security.
Jones is working to have the site part of the city’s Project Green Light surveillance program. Meanwhile, security guards remain there for longer hours so the building won’t be unattended, electricians will install up to a dozen more exterior floodlights and there are plans to either bar or block in the windows.
Thanks to spotlight the incident attracted, many more upgrades could emerge.
A woman who wishes to remain anonymous reached out to Jones and pledged to match $500,000 in donations. More details on the effort, and how others can contributed, are slated for a formal announcement Friday.
“This is every shelter’s dream come true, to have somebody want to match up to that,” Jones said. “Just think of the shelter we can put together for all of the Detroit dogs.”