Good Samaritans help return dogs after being stolen in River North
CHICAGO (CBS) – The owner of two dogs stolen Thursday afternoon in River North was thankful to those who helped reunite her with the pups, including two sisters who found and cared for them.
Kayla Ward, 33, said she was thankful for all those who helped her after her SUV was stolen in the 700 block of North Wells Street with Karmen, her maltipoo, and Franklin, her shih-tzu mix, still inside the vehicle.
Ward said she had locked her car but left it running right in front of a restaurant where she briefly bought a drink, but in that time, an unknow suspect drove off in her 2016 black Porsche SUV with Michigan plates.
"They were gone in an instant," she said, adding, "I screamed. I panicked. I said 'My dogs are gone. My car is gone. Help me!'"
Ward said she even tried to run after the thief. Another woman stopped to help her call 911.
Hours later, the dogs were found on the Near West side by a friend of Jordan Cosey, 21. Cosey stepped in to care for the dogs and try to reunite them with their owner.
"I always wanted puppies, so when I saw them, I was like 'This is so sad. I will take them in until I can find their owner,'" Cosey said. "I wanted to take care of them because I know it's dangerous in this world."
Cosey's younger sister, Brooklyn Cameron, 10, said she thoroughly enjoyed the brief time they spent with the dogs.
"I didn't want them to go because they were really nice the whole time," Cameron said.
But Cameron said her sister insisted they try to return the dogs to their owner.
Cosey said around 2 a.m., a friend sent her a Citizen app alert about missing dogs and realized it was the two pups she was caring for. She eventually found Ward's contact information -- and we saw the joyous reunion at a Gold Coast park.
Ward thanked everyone who helped find Karmen and Franklin and said she could tell they were well loved. Even though here car is still missing, Ward said she was relieved to just have her dogs back.
"The car means nothing to me," Ward said. "My dogs are everything."
For Cosey, she was just happy to do her part in getting the pups back home.
"I was like 'Thank God. I did something good in the world,'" she said.
As she thanked the sisters profusely, Ward said she'd try to arrange a play date with the dogs.