Utah Humane Society offers reward for stolen Chihuahuas

Bella was just about to join her foster family when two teenage girls stole her.

Late Wednesday afternoon, two teens made off with two Chihuahuas from the Humane Society of Utah, 13-year-old Bella and 2-month-old Titus. The shelter is asking for the public's help to find and return the dogs and is offering a $500 reward for verifiable information leading to the thieves' arrests.

Witnesses say two girls, a blonde and a brunette about 14 to 16, walked into the shelter Wednesday and spent an hour there before leaving with the two dogs, according to a news release from the shelter.

"It looks like they just picked them up and walked out," said Murray police Officer Kenny Bass.

The teens drove off in a white, late-model four-door Toyota Corolla with one or two other people inside. The letters and numbers on the car's Utah license plate may include CDO454, the release adds.

Despite the shelter's open atmosphere, with lots of people and animals coming and going, a theft is rare, said shelter spokesman Carl Arky. The last time was about five years ago, he said.

Bella was about to join a foster family, according to the shelter. Titus, a white-and-tan male Chihuahua mix, weighs only 5 pounds and just arrived from a shelter in Los Angeles, according to the news release.

"We are very worried about the health and well-being of these two dogs and would like to have them returned to the Humane Society as soon as possible so we can continue caring for them and make sure they go to good homes," said the shelter's executive director Gene Baierschmidt in a statement.

mmcfall@sltrib.comTwitter: @mikeypanda