Hiker says pet Pomeranian was stolen by stranger on Enumclaw, WA trail

Pet Pomeranian stolen by stranger on popular WA trail

A man says his beloved pet Pomeranian was stolen by a stranger on a popular hiking trail in Enumclaw last week.

ENUMCLAW, Wash. - A man who hikes regularly in Enumclaw is pleading for help after he says his beloved pet was stolen on a popular hiking trail.

He says it happened last week while he was hiking Mount Peak on the Cal Magnusson trail at around 7:30 a.m.

Daniel Ortiz Rebollar says he was heading up to the peak, with his dog Vanny, just a couple of feet behind.

While Vanny, the Pomeranian, may be on the smaller side, she's big on hiking.

Daniel says she spent lots of time with him, heading up and down the Cal Magnusson trail at Mount Peak weekly.

"She really enjoyed it," he said.

Most importantly, Daniel says she was his best friend on and off the trail.

"I took those in, as those moments are really precious to me," said Daniel.

It was on one of those adventures last week that he says Vanny was ripped from his life by a stranger.

"It really hurts somebody could do that," said Daniel.

He said the nightmare began after he said ‘Hi’ to a man on a section of the trail as he was heading up, and the man was heading down.

"He just looked like a regular guy wearing Hoka shoes, Columbia," he said. "I said ‘Hi’ casually."

After the man passed by, he heard his dog yelp behind him.

He turned around to see the man rushing down the trail, holding something under his shirt or coat that was Vanny's size.

"I heard her pretty much cry," said Daniel. "I’m like, ‘The guy has my dog.'"

Still in disbelief, Daniel started to follow.

"He’s walking just as quick as I am. I’m like, 'Sir, sir, have you seen my dog?," said Daniel. "I’m going as fast as I can."

Because the man had used the element of surprise, he'd gotten so far ahead of Daniel, he reached the parking lot first and shouted a chilling message back at him.

"Basically, he yelled, and he said, ‘You don’t deserve this dog!’ and just drove off.

The King County Sheriff's Office confirms that investigators are on the case.

"Really unsettling, really sickens me, and it really gets me in a panic," said Daniel.

Daniel works hard as a delivery driver and misses coming home to Vanny after long days on the job.

"It really does hurt man," he says.

He hopes someone can help bring his little mountaineer home.

"It feels unsettling, really uncomfortable and unsafe. And, my dog….what is the next thing this person is going to do?," said Daniel, holding back tears.

If you see Vanny or know where she is, contact the King County Sheriff's Office.