Blind, diabetic dog stolen from pet store back with its owner; woman arrested

Teddy, the blind and diabetic dog who was taken from a pet store in Palm Beach Gardens, has been reunited with his owner and a woman suspected of stealing him has been arrested, police said Tuesday.

Tara Cameron-Harris, the owner of the 11-year-old Maltese mix, was elated and confirmed she had “Teddy in hand,” Tuesday morning.

“I didn’t know if he was alive or dead,” Cameron-Harris said.

“When we heard the news, we just jumped in the car and rushed out to the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department.”

Harris described the dog as “wobbling and shaking,” and took him to a veterinarian’s office to be examined.

According to police, Harris had dropped her dog off for a grooming appointment Saturday at Petco, 11262 Legacy Ave., in Palm Beach Gardens. Shortly before 8 p.m., a woman who was not Cameron-Harris picked up Teddy at the store and left.

Investigators later said they were searching for a person of interest — Heather Ryan, 48, of Palm Beach Gardens — in connection with the dog’s disappearance.

While Teddy was still missing, Cameron-Harris searched for the dog herself — focusing on Tri-Rail stations because police said Ryan’s belongings had been found abandoned at the Cypress Creek Tri-Rail station in Fort Lauderdale.

According to police, the dog was found inside Ryan’s home.

One of Ryan’s neighbors called police because she was acting suspicious, Cameron-Harris said.

Teddy will remain at an animal hospital for the next couple of days, but is expected to be fine.

“We’re just so happy right now,” Cameron-Harris said.

WPEC-CBS12 is the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s news partner.

Ryan was booked into Palm Beach County’s jail shortly after 9:30 a.m. Tuesday on a charge of larceny and was being held on a bond of $3,000, records show.

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