Dogs stolen from city’s animal shelter

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Five dogs, thought to be pit bulls, were stolen from the city’s animal shelter last week, according to an incident report released by the Columbia Police Department Saturday.

Employees arriving to work at the Columbia Animal Shelter off Shop Road on Monday found three pit bulls outside the shelter’s barnyard.

The employees found several cages broken into, the report stated. The cages, which had locks, were forced open, their metal latches bent. A gate leading from the kennels to the barnyard also had been forced open.

Several suspicious people were seen outside the property’s fence around closing time a week earlier, the report said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

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