Army veteran reunited with puppy taken from grocery store

BURNSVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A veteran was reunited with his companion dog after it was taken outside a Cub Foods store in Burnsville, Minnesota.

According to officials, Steven Berendt, a disabled veteran, was shopping at Cub Foods at about 1 p.m. Sunday. He wasn't allowed to bring his dog Henry inside, so he left his dog in front of the store for a short period of time.

"I went to Cub and I tied him up on one of the planter things, and I went inside to get my food. When I came out, he was gone," he said.

Friends, family and Burnsville police came together to help find the beloved yorkie. Officials reviewed surveillance video from Cub Foods, which shows a woman taking off with the leashed pooch.

Burnsville Police Captain Matt Smith said the woman took the puppy about 10 minutes after he was left outside. The woman  turned the dog in to police Tuesday, saying she took the dog because she thought it was "in distress."

“I think, in her heart, she was thinking she was doing the right thing. I gotta believe that,” Steven said.

Finally, Tuesday evening, Henry and Steven were reunited.

“I had to fight back the tears as soon as I saw him,” he said. “He was sure happy to see me."