Stolen Portland puppy recovered on Christmas Eve

A puppy stolen from the Oregon Humane Society on Saturday was recovered on Christmas Eve, shelter officials said Tuesday.

Gresham police acted on an anonymous tip from an individual who had seen the puppy and recognized it as the stolen pet, officials said.

OHS employees accompanied the police Monday night to a household in Gresham where the puppy was located and positively identified the pet as John, a 3-month-old, 3-pound Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix.

Gresham police are investigating the case; no arrests have been made at this time.

The Oregon Humane Society had offered a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the brazen theft of the puppy from the shelter yesterday afternoon.

The 3-month-old puppy was stolen from a locked kennel just minutes before he was about to go home with a family who had adopted him. A special gathering was planned Christmas afternoon at the shelter to unite John and the family adopting him.

Celebrating 144 years of service, the Oregon Humane Society is dedicated to helping animals and people. Last year, more than 11,500 animals were adopted through the Oregon Humane Society and over 1,000 reports of animal abuse and neglect were investigated. Visit us at www.oregonhumane.org