Service Dog Reunited with Veteran Owner After Car Theft and Heated Police Chase

A missing service dog has reunited with his owner after a car theft.

The 1-year-old black Dutch Shepherd, Chico, was reported missing on Saturday, Feb. 15 around 7:45 p.m. local time after a vehicle was stolen outside a Planet Fitness in Hammond, La., according to a Facebook post by the Hammond Police Department.

Chico was inside the vehicle at the time of the theft.

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According to a social media post from the Livingston Parrish Sheriff's Office, who assisted in stopping the vehicle, the suspected thief engaged in a vehicle pursuit and fired at deputies.

Chico was not inside the vehicle during the chase, but the collar was, per an update from officials.

Sheriff Jason Ard of the Livingston Parrish Sheriff's Office said in a statement that the vehicle “was eventually stopped at the Holden on ramp where the suspect was taken into custody without incident."

The firearm used in the incident was located near the Red Oak overpass, Ard added.

Authorities learned through their investigation that the suspect, a male juvenile, acted alone.

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The suspect has been processed into the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center, according to the Livingston Parrish Sheriff's Office. The investigation is ongoing.

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PEOPLE reached out to the Hammond Police Department and the Livingston Parrish Sheriff's Office for additional information but did not immediately hear back.

Local news outlet AN-17 reports that the dog owner, a veteran, was separated from his service dog for "more than 18 hours" during the incident. When Chico was not located in the vehicle, people in the community reportedly began to share photos of the pup online.

The outlet reports that Chico was seen around 2 p.m. local time the day after going missing. It is unclear where the dog was located.

Hammond Police confirmed that Chico was found safe and returned to his owner.

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