LSUPD and the Baton Rouge Animal Control Center are looking for three pit bulls suspected to have been stolen from the Parker Coliseum animal shelter within the first 48 hours of its opening Aug. 31.
LSUPD Maj. Ricky Adams said shelter volunteers filed a police report with his office after realizing the animals were missing. Military police on campus and LSUPD have monitored access to the shelter since the incident.
Ginger Guttner, public relations director for the School of Veterinary Medicine, said she thinks the dogs were stolen from the livestock area, where the larger dogs are kept in the horse stables.
The owners who dropped off the dogs have been notified.
The stalls have been locked and arrangements have been made for fencing to be put up around the livestock area, Guttner said.
As of Wednesday, 1,018 animals were at the shelter, the majority being dogs and cats.
The LSU AgCenter’s exhibition site is one of several emergency shelters throughout the state for animals affected by Hurricane Katrina. The animals have been rescued from the New Orleans area or brought in by owners forced to stay in hotels or buildings that do not allow pets.
The shelter is scheduled to close Oct. 15.
“We’re encouraging owners to foster them out,” Guttner said.
As owners continue to visit their pets, they can make arrangements to have Baton Rouge locals foster their animals until the owners themselves arrange permanent housing.
Contact Chris Day at [email protected]