Cops: Woman Steals, Dyes Dogs

Apr 8, 2005 12:15 pm US/Eastern

WEST FARGO, N.D. (AP) A West Fargo, N.D. woman has been charged with shoplifting two puppies from a Moorhead, Minn. pet store.

Authorities say 19-year-old Sheila Marie Hoffart took the dogs home and dyed one of them purple and the other one blue.

She was charged this week in Clay County court with two counts of theft. She will make her first court appearance on April 18.

Moorhead police say she admitted taking the Shih Tzu and sheltie.

Police says stole the dogs on two different occasions in January and February. Police say she put the puppies in her backpack and left without paying.

Police say Hoffart says she took the dogs because she felt sorry for them.

Police say she used nontoxic hair dye to color the dogs' fur because she wanted to make them more unique.

Pet store employee Bridget Nolte says both dogs have since been sold and are back to their normal color.

Store manager Terry Thompson bought the sheltie. She says she named the dog Rocket. She says its purple fur faded in about a month.

Pet store officials say they've added locks to the cages.

(© 2005 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. )

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