ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — The sheriff’s office said three dogs were stolen from the Rowan County Animal Shelter. Now, they believe the same suspects stole dogs in another county.
Three pit bulls, including one named Wessie, were stolen out of their kennels early Monday morning.
“It’s definitely a big concern. Staff was very attached to one in particular who had been here a little bit longer and so it was just a very shaken kind of moment for everybody,” said Maria Pannell, assistant director at the Rowan County Animal Shelter. “What happened to them when they left? Are they safe, are they in a good situation? Are we going to get them back?”
Pannell said Wessie and another dog were found safe in Davidson County and are now both back at the shelter.
Investigators told Channel 9′s Gina Esposito that they arrested 19-year-old Joe Lee Jeanis on Thursday morning. He was officially charged for breaking into the Davidson County Animal Shelter and stealing two dogs that same morning, Esposito learned Saturday.
Rowan County Sheriff’s Office Detectives had warrants issued on Jeanis for the crimes that occurred in Rowan County. They were sent to Davidson County for service. Jeanis received a $5,000 bond for the charges in Rowan County.
A 17-year-old female was involved and the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office will submit juvenile referrals to the to the Juvenile Intake Counselor in regards to the juvenile charges for the teenager.
The sheriff’s office believes he then drove to Salisbury, stole three dogs out of the Rowan County shelter and also tried to break in to the Faithful Friends Animal Sanctuary just 6 miles away. Investigators said Jeanis could face charges in Rowan County.
“They found the front gate had been forced opened and damaged,” said John Sifford, with the sheriff’s office.
Deputies in Davidson County said Jeanis was found in a motel in Lexington with some of the dogs. They said a 17-year-old girl is also in custody.
Parnell said they still can’t say for sure why anyone would do this.
“Motive is one of those things we’ve been all racking our brain around trying to figure out. But right now we just don’t know,” she said. “It’s good to know they’ll be back in care. They’ll be fed. They’ll be sheltered. We’re hopeful they will get adopted pretty quickly.”
Investigators are still working to find one dog and bring it back to the shelter.
Channel 9 looked in our archives and found that in 2015, another dog had been stolen from the Rowan County Animal Shelter. After that, we’re told the facility added more padlocks to the outside kennels.
(WATCH BELOW: Owner of lost dog says animal shelter would not give the pet back after it was found)
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