NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – A family visiting from Florida says their beloved family dog has been found, after their pickup truck was stolen with the dog still inside Friday night (Nov. 18) in Gentilly.
Stuart Trahan said he, his wife and their 95-pound Labrador Retriever Sam (short for Samson the Great) had only spent a few minutes in the city before they were left heartbroken by New Orleans’ crime. While getting settled upon arrival for a Thanksgiving visit with their daughter, Trahan had left his 2018 Dodge Ram 2500 running, locking it and unlocking it as he unloaded luggage inside.
Suddenly, Trahan said, his truck with the dog in back began to speed away. An opportunistic thief had jumped into the driver’s seat and taken off down the 2100 block of Mirabeau Street before Trahan could react. He believes the thieves were watching him from the corner in a dark-colored 4 door sedan, waiting for him to leave the truck unattended.
“I’m not worried about the truck — insurance can take care of that,” Trahan said. “But we really just want to get Sam back safe.”
The dark gray truck, which has a winch attached to its front end and a “Louisiana Tech Forestry” sticker on its back window, was stolen around 10:45 p.m., Trahan said.
Trahan, consumed with worry for his buddy, took to social media, local news stations, animal rescues and the police.
Now, thanks to some eagle-eyed caring citizens, Trahan says the 95 pounds of lovable lab is back where he belongs — in Trahan’s arms.
The truck is still missing.
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