GLENDALE : Couple Mounts Major Hunt for Missing Dogs

She’s hired private investigators, handed out thousands of flyers in the Glendale area, posted a $600 reward and even consulted a psychic. But April Rose Hutchens still hasn’t found Lance and Gwen--her two purebred Chihuahuas, together worth more than $1,100.

“I will cover every stone that has not been turned over to get them back,” Hutchens, 25, said Tuesday. “They’re very loving and friendly animals.”

Hutchens has been pulling out all the stops in search of her precious pets since April 3, when she discovered them missing from her Glendale video duplicating business. She and her husband, James, 59, had gone out for an early dinner that night and had left the two dogs in the garage of the office at 3613 San Fernando Road.

When they returned, the building’s burglar alarm was blaring and part of the garage door had been pried open.

One-year-old Lance--a first-year wedding anniversary gift from James Hutchens--and 4-month-old Gwen were nowhere in sight. Nothing else was missing.

The couple, who reside in Arvin in Kern County, looked around the neighborhood and knocked on doors of nearby homes but came up empty. They reported the incident to police last Thursday, telling officers they suspect that a former employee did the evil deed. That man has yet to be found for questioning.

“I’m not relying on the police,” April Hutchens said. “They have enough to do. It’s really up to whoever has the dogs to find me.”

So far, the Hutchenses have spent nearly $1,500 in their search--which they call “Project Lance.” Lance weighs 10 pounds with red and white fur. Gwen weighs 2 1/2 pounds with a reddish fur and a white spot on her nose. Anyone with information is asked to call (818) 244-3903.

An investigative firm, Petfinders, was hired to call homes in a 60-block area surrounding the business. Nearly 6,500 flyers have been made and distributed around the city. And earlier this week, April Hutchens paid $50 to a specialized pet-finding psychic in Florida to seek her advice.

“I figured, ‘Why not?’ ” she said. “You’ve got to try everything.”

That includes looking for help from above, although no answer has come so far. “I’ve done the prayer route. I’m a Christian,” Hutchens said. “(But) going to God is just not working. Maybe I’ve done something in my life.”