KINGSVILLE — A maroon van belonging to the Ashtabula County Animal Protective League was stolen from the animal shelter parking lot last weekend, shelter officials confirmed.
“Our maroon van was stolen, and we have not been able to recover it,” APL board president Diane Carr said Thursday. “It was a shock to find it missing. We are still shocked.”
Carr said the 1999 Plymouth Voyager van, which was donated to the shelter by Nassief Motors, had APL magnets and paw-print decals on it.
“I can’t imagine why someone would steal from the animal shelter in the first place, but to steal a van with paw prints all over it is amazing,” Carr said.
With a tank full of gasoline and some dog fur still stuck to the seats, the van parked in the shelter parking lot last Friday was ready to transport dogs and cats to the mall shelter site.
The volunteer who filled the gas tank and parked the van Friday couldn’t find the van Saturday morning.
Shelter business manager Kimberly Gilmore said the van, which is one of two owned by the shelter, was used to transport animals to the mall and to veterinary appointments.
“We didn’t use this van every day, but we certainly used it often,” Gilmore said. “When we need that van, we really need it.”
Gilmore said a vehicle theft report was filed with the Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Department, though there are no suspects.
The van’s license plate number is PFB5361.
“It is disheartening, to say the least, when something is stolen from the shelter,” Gilmore said, “This week so many people have come out to donate and to help the shelter and adopt pets during this time of overcrowding, so to have something like this happen is sad.”
Gilmore said shelter officials are grateful for the outpouring of support from the community in the wake of a parvo outbreak, which cost the shelter nearly $6,000 in labor, veterinary and lost adoption costs.
“We always depend on the kindness of the Ashtabula County community, and we are always so grateful and so humbled by the support people show for the animals,” she said.
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APL van stolen from parking lot
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