Support Dog Stolen From Veteran
(Photo credit: Pekic / Getty Images)
In Las Vegas, A disabled veteran’s support dog was stolen, leading police to work with a local nonprofit to reunite the man with his beloved dog.
According to KTNV13, David Courneya is a disabled US veteran living with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Recently, Courneya lost his emotional support dog who had been with him for 17 years. After grieving his loss, he adopted a new dog, Skunk, to train as his new service animal in December 2022. Courneya said he lives with the dog out of his 1991 Ford F350 diesel truck.
Veteran’s support dog and best friend stolen
On February 26, the truck broke down at the shuttered Terrible’s Hotel & Casino in Jean, Nevada. Since then, Courneya said they’ve been stranded there. In an attempt to leave, Courneya paid $700 to a mobile mechanic who never fixed the truck. Later on, someone stole Skunk while Courneya was in a convenience store for just seven minutes. Immediately, Courneya asked the gas station staff to call the police and eventually talked to Detective Todd Ashworth. According to Ashworth, Skunk had been located by microchip at the Rancho Cucamonga Animal Center in Southern California.
Reuniting a man with his beloved companion
Notably, Ashworth knew time was of the essence for both Courneya and Skunk. As a result, he asked the shelter to hold the dog. Meanwhile, Courneya reached out to Street Dogz. A Las Vegas-based nonprofit, Street Dogz dedicates itself to helping homeless people and their pets. A volunteer from Street Dogz, Briana Maxwell, drove to California and brought Skunk back to Las Vegas, recording their reunion on her cell phone.
Although it’s certainly one of the best parts of the job, the reunion is only a fraction of what Street Dogz has done for Courneya and his dog. Aside from reuniting the pair, Street Dogs brought them a donated bounty of clothes, towels, blankets, food, toys, and more. With Skunk safe and back in his care, Courneya said he can now focus on getting his truck fixed. Afterward, he plans to drive back with Skunk to the Pacific Northwest where he grew up. After returning Skunk to him, Courneya thanked the detective and the volunteer from Street Dogz for their help.
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