A 9-week-old Shih Tzu puppy named Zima was stolen from a Petland store inside SouthPark Mall in Strongsville, Ohio, after a woman was caught on surveillance video walking out with the $5,800 animal on Monday. Store staff have filed a police report and are now pleading with the public for help bringing the puppy home.
According to WSMV, the puppy was allegedly taken from the store on August 10, with surveillance footage showing a woman leaving with Zima in tow. Amy Parker, the store's regional animal care manager, said flatly that taking Zima out of the store was wrong, and that the store simply wants its puppy back. The Petland store, located at 1148 Southpark Center according to the Strongsville Chamber of Commerce, has already reported the theft to police.
Store Manager Says Puppy's Health Is at Risk
Parker said the puppy's well-being and safety are her ultimate and main concerns, noting that the store understands Zima's needs better than anyone who might have her now. “Bring her back. We provide proper care for her; we know her pattern of eating, we know how much she eats every day, we know potential risks with the small breed puppies,” Parker said, per the same account. She also said she wants whoever is responsible held accountable.
The Strongsville Police Department said anyone who recognizes the woman in the surveillance footage, or who has information about where the puppy might be, can contact the department at 440-580-3230.
A Felony Under Ohio Law
Because Zima carried a price tag of $5,800, the theft falls well above the threshold that turns simple theft into a felony under Ohio law. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 2913.02, taking property valued between $1,000 and $7,500 is a fifth-degree felony, carrying a potential six to 12 months in prison and a fine of up to $2,500.
This is not the first time a high-value puppy has disappeared from a Cuyahoga County Petland store under Parker's regional oversight. In March 2024, an 18-year-old Cleveland man was arrested and later indicted on felony theft and evidence tampering charges after stealing a 9-week-old Olde English Bulldogge valued at $6,500 from a Petland store in nearby Parma, according to WKYC. Investigators reported the suspect in that case was arrested by U.S. Marshals but refused to disclose the dog's location. Two years earlier, in June 2022, a 9-week-old Yorkshire Terrier valued at $4,899 was stolen from that same Parma store after a suspect spent time with the animal during a visit before fleeing on foot, per the Parma Police Department.
Small Breeds a Common Target Nationwide
Toy breeds like Zima are frequently singled out by thieves. American Kennel Club theft data cited by CBS News shows Shih Tzus, Yorkshire Terriers, Chihuahuas and French Bulldogs are among the most commonly stolen breeds nationwide, largely because their compact size makes them easy to carry off undetected. Nationally, an estimated 2 million dogs are stolen across the U.S. each year, according to data cited by the American Kennel Club and reported by Adopt a Pet, with animal welfare experts noting that stolen dogs are rarely kept by thieves and are instead resold through informal secondary markets.
Not every case ends without resolution. In December 2025, officers in Sharonville, Ohio executed a search warrant on an apartment and recovered a 12-week-old Yorkshire Terrier named Toto that had been stolen two months earlier from a Petland store, according to the Sharonville Police Department. The dog was found unharmed following the investigation into the original retail theft.
Theft Unfolds Amid Scrutiny of Retail Pet Sales
The Strongsville theft comes as Ohio's retail pet industry faces broader legislative and advocacy pressure. Ohio State Representative Michele Grim introduced House Bill 443 in March 2024 to repeal a 2016 state preemption law and let local municipalities pass their own ordinances restricting or banning retail puppy sales, as Hoodline previously reported. A May 2023 report by Humane World for Animals documented 13 commercial dog breeding operations in Ohio with severe welfare violations, the second-highest total of any state, and confirmed that at least one flagged breeder had supplied puppies to Petland stores in Ohio, per WKYC.
Ohio has had statewide standards for high-volume commercial breeders since September 2018, when House Bill 506 mandated daily exercise, veterinary care and minimum enclosure sizes for licensed facilities, according to Humane World for Animals. For now, though, the immediate concern in Strongsville remains simpler: getting Zima home safely, and holding whoever took her accountable, as Parker has demanded.
