ENCINITAS, Calif. (KGTV) - An Encinitas woman is pleading for the return of her two Labradoodles after surveillance video captured two women taking the dogs from her parked car.
Esma Bohannon left her 7-year-old dog, Coco Chanel, and her 3-year-old dog, Taco, in her car near N. Coast Highway 101 and A Street while she ran errands just before noon two Thursdays ago.
"I looked inside and I was in shock," Bohannon said. "I was terrified. It was just not real to me.”
Bohannon stated she left the dogs with a water bowl and the windows rolled down.
"I would say it was not overly hot. I put large, extra-large bowl and the windows all rolled down," Bohannon said.
Surveillance video from a nearby business shows a car parking feet away from Bohannon's vehicle. Two women exit the car, and one opens the unlocked passenger door of Bohannon's vehicle. The woman removes Coco Chanel and places her in the back of their car, followed shortly by Taco. The women then drive away.
"I got chills. I just can't even describe how that feels that someone is taking away your loved ones, and you can see it over the video," Bohannon said.
As for the motivation, we questioned if the women took the dogs out of concern for their welfare. Temperatures inside a car can rise quickly.
"Hopefully it really was a situation where somebody thought, I will help her out," Bohannon said.
Both dogs wore tags with Bohannon's phone number, but she has not received any calls. Bohannon says the dogs have not been turned in to any Humane Society branch or the Sheriff's Office.
Bohannon filed a report with the Sheriff's Office.
"I just really would like to have two dogs back, and that's all that I want," Bohannon said.
Anyone with information on the case can contact the North Coastal Sheriff’s Station at 760-966-3500.
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