BPD: Missing dog reunited with owners

BOSTON — UPDATE (1/8/2019): Lola has been reunited with her owner.

Boston Police say no charges are expected to be filed.

Police are looking to the public for help in catching a woman wanted for stealing a dog on New Year's Eve.

The dog's owner contacted police around 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 31, saying that his dog had been stolen from outside the Dollar Store at 273 Columbia Road in the city's Dorchester neighborhood.

The dog, who goes by the name Lola, is a Shih Tzu breed, and black-and-white in color.

Eddy Puello of Dorchester says he bought the dog for his sister-in-law three years ago to cheer her up during a rough time.

On New Year's Eve, Lola jumped out of Lenny Candelario's car, which was parked at the Family Dollar on Columbia Road.

"She didn’t realize Lola was gone. She thought she was sleeping in the back and when she got to her next destination, she noticed (the dog) wasn’t there," Puello said.

The dog ran up to the front door and someone let her in. Surveillance video shows Lola hiding under a shopping cart.

Employees called animal control and an officer came to the store.

But that's when what could have been a happy ending took a confusing turn.

Surveillance video then shows a woman pick up the dog, put it under her jacket and walk out with the animal control officer.

"They said the rightful owner took the dog and I’m like how did the rightful owner take the dog if I’m the rightful owner," Puello said.

After seeing the surveillance video, Lola's family is trying to make sense of it all.

"She’s throwing a jacket on top of the dog and the dog is trying to bite her. You can tell that’s not the owner," Puello said.

Now, Boston Police are trying to identify the woman in the surveillance video and get the dog home to its real owners.

"We just want the dog back," Puello said.

Lola's family says she has some medical issues and requires special food, so they say it is urgent they get her back.

Anyone with information is asked to call Boston Police at 617-343-4335. You can also call the text the word ‘TIP’ to CRIME (27463).

Cox Media Group