Photo by IntangibleArts

Remember Molly? You should—the story of the dog’s brief kidnapping in 2009 from outside the Whole Foods on P Street ended up being not only an epic comment generator, but also a much-loved DCist meme. But now there’s a new Molly—Snoopy, a 17-year-old that similarly went missing around the Whole Foods this week.

Snoopy’s disappearance has prompted animal rights group PETA to issue a call to all pet-owners: please just don’t leave your beloved animal companion tied up outside, no matter how fast the trip into a store might be. A press release reads:

Leaving animals outdoors unattended invites tragedy. Tied up alone, animals can easily be stolen, attacked by other animals, or subjected to random acts of cruelty. If spooked by a loud noise, an animal might also slip his or her collar in a panic and become lost or be hit by a car. A scared dog can bite children or adults—even those with the best of intentions—who approach the animal clumsily.

PETA recommends that you take the following simple precautions to protect your animal companion’s safety:

>> If you plan to run errands while you’re out walking your dog, take a human companion along. That way, someone you trust can run the errand while you wait with your dog or vice versa.

>> If you must stop somewhere where dogs aren’t welcome, drop your dog off at home, where he or she will be safe and comfortable. Your animal companion’s safety is well worth making a side trip.

>> Never leave your dog in a parked car during the summer for any amount of time, even with the windows slightly open. The inside of a car can reach deadly temperatures in minutes.

“Dog theft and other dangers should be taken very seriously,” says PETA Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “It only takes a second for a dog tied up outside a store—out of your sight—to be abducted. Please never leave your animal companions alone outside stores, restaurants, or anywhere else.”

That being said, we hope Snoopy is found.