TORONTO — A group of Toronto dog owners has launched a search effort after a dog-walking company's van was stolen Friday with 16 pets on board, the company said.
Jake Steinman, co-owner of Soulmutts Toronto, said his clients are concerned for the safety of their pets.
"They're devastated, they're all very sad, very upset," he said.
"Basically, this is the equivalent of kidnapping. For a lot of these owners, these are their babies."
The van was stolen when a staff member went to pick up a dog in a condo building near Fort York and Bathurst Street, Steinman said.
Police have since told the company that three other white cargo vans were taken in the area Friday and it appears the company wasn't targeted, he said.
Steinman is urging whoever took the van to abandon it with the air conditioning on so that the dogs don't overheat.
Police said they are searching for a stolen van and a suspect described as a white, blond man about six feet tall.
They have not released the licence plate number of the van.
