PARKER, Colo. — A Parker family says their two dogs who went missing from their home were adopted out of a shelter before they could rescue them.
Parker Police are now investigating because it was one of their officers who took the dogs to the shelter and no one told the family.
Now, the Boyce family is surrounded only by memories of their six-year- old English Bulldog, Bruiser and Sadie, a three-year-old Boarder Collie.
“They are apart of our family. Our children miss them, we miss them,” said Jill Boyce, owner of Bruiser and Sadie.
The dogs went missing over a week ago while the Boyce family was on vacation.
Sadie and Bruiser were being cared for by a pet sitter and escaped under their backyard fence while their sitter was out.
“We just moved here and I didn’t realize that there was area where the dogs could get out,” said Jim Boyce, dog owner.
After searching for the dogs for hours, the sitter reported them missing that night to Parker Police, who also handles animal control for the city.
“They told her that there was no dogs turned in by the description of our dogs,” said Jill.
But, an email from police just a few days ago shows that’s not the case.
In fact, a police sergeant told the Boyces their dogs had been picked up that day by an officer and taken to a shelter.
Sadie and Bruiser ended up at the Humane Society of the South Platte Valley, which is more than 20 miles away from the Parker Police Department.
“They did not tell her where they transfer dogs to,” Jill said.
So, neither the pet sitter or the Boyce’s knew to go to the Littleton shelter. It wasn’t until a friend told them to check it out, that they did. But, it was too late, they had already been adopted.
“She goes there is nothing I can do the people who adopted them won’t give them back,” said Jill.
Jim Boyce went to Parker Police for help and they released the following statement to Fox31:
“The Parker Police is aware of the incident involving Mr. Boyce and is conducting an internal review process to look at the situation in its entirety. The department has met with Mr. Boyce on a frequent basis and will continue to work with the family.”
In the meantime, the Boyces’ worry about their dogs and hope that whoever adopted Bruiser and Sadie will give them back.
“We just want them home with us, so would you please return our puppies back home to us,” Jill said.
Neither of the dogs had anything identifying them.
We reached out the the Humane Society of South Platte Valley several times Sunday, but no one returned our calls.
Police said there is a town ordinance that states the dogs must be kept impounded for six days before the shelter can do what they want with the animals.
It’s unclear exactly how long Bruiser and Sadie were at the shelter before they were adopted.