Colorado Springs man plans to pursue legal action against person who stole his dog, Blanco
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- A dog named Blanco was returned to his owner shortly before 1 a.m. this past Sunday after being stolen from a backyard.
The pet’s return followed a social media campaign that saw a video of the theft go viral. Paul Torrez, the owner of the dog, credits that massive online attention for his pet’s safe return.
Blanco was found with an apology letter, but Torrez said he still plans to pursue legal action against the individual responsible for the theft.
Paul Torrez's girlfriend heard the dog in the front yard early on Sunday morning and allowed him inside. Torrez, who was sleeping at the time, said he initially thought he was dreaming when the dog entered his room.
“I was sound asleep,” Torrez said. “I felt something jump on the bed, but of course, I thought I was dreaming. And then, he jumped on me and started licking me, and I was just, like, half asleep. And I woke up, and I was like, 'Blanco! What are you doing here, Blanco?'”
Torrez described Blanco as a central part of his life.
“He’s my friend. He’s my partner, you know? You know my everything,” Torrez said.
The theft was captured on video and shared across various social media platforms, leading to a significant public response. Torrez said he was surprised by how quickly the story reached people. He expressed his appreciation for the community members who helped organize the campaign to find his pet.
“It was amazing how many people, like, just total strangers reached out. It’s amazing how it just blew up that quickly,” Torrez said. “If they’re watching that, thank you, guys. And I do appreciate everything that you’ve done. It’s amazing."
While the dog was returned with a note, Torrez said he was skeptical of the contents. The letter suggested the individual responsible might have been intoxicated, but Torrez said he's skeptical of the reasoning behind stealing his beloved pet.
“I didn’t really believe the note,” Torrez said. “I’ve read it a few times since then, even, and it’s like, okay, maybe he was drunk, I don’t know, or whatever, but I mean, I don’t know if a drunk person would think about taking a dog."
Torrez said he would still like to see whoever took Blanco face some consequences, even if the dog was returned.
"It’s just not right, you know. I’d like to see him do time some some type of time," Torrez said. "Maybe it’ll help him. It’s not like he took a toll or a value or you took my family member.”
The Colorado Springs Police Department says it has identified the man seen in the video as a person of interest, but did not confirm his identity to KRDO13. No official charges have been filed.
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