Puppy Named Scrappy Survives Van Theft In Oxnard

OXNARD (CBSLA) – A happy ending to a frightening ordeal: A puppy that was in a stolen minivan is alive and recovering in Oxnard.

The vehicle was stolen from a parking lot while the couple were inside St. John's Regional Medical Center. Everything they own was in the van, which has been doubling at their home for the past few months, as they have been traveling the country in search of a doctor who can help Brandi West with her debilitating seizures.

"I'm glad they found both the van and dog," she said.

West believes Scrappy's rescue may be the turn around she has been waiting for.

Oxnard Police found her van and her 7-month-old puppy after someone stole the vehicle and dog from the hospital parking lot Sunday.

"I'm using this as the turning point for the week that, maybe by the end of the week or the end of the week month, I will have the surgery done. And this will be the next blessing," she said.

West has been at St. John's for more than a week. She and her husband, Bryan, have been traveling since September as they looked for a neurologist to operate on West's brain.

"It's been extremely hard, because I can find really good neurologists, and always end up with the same answer, 'We can find out what is wrong, but, I won't do the surgery – it's too complicated,'" she said.

West said she was involved in a car crash 12 years ago, sending her into a 29-day coma and leaving her with brain damage that has been causing her seizures ever since.

"At one point after the wreck, I was having anywhere from 15 to 20 seizures a day.

The couple's van was trashed, but they said they're just happy they go the their dog back.

Now, they're hoping for another miracle: For the surgery that would allow West to work as a chef again.

"Just, to hold on to my dream, and still be a chef, would be awesome," she said.

West is hoping to move to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center soon, where she thinks she will find the doctor she needs.