The animal control officer who took Sisu to the shelter purchased the pup his beloved purple stuffed unicorn before bringing him in.
Animal control officers were called to a North Carolina Dollar General store after a stray dog kept entering the store and making a beeline for the toy aisle.
"He went straight for the unicorn, the same one every time," says Joe Newburn, a supervisor at Duplin County Animal Services.
"It was so strange, one of the strangest calls I've ever dealt with," Newburn adds.
Workers at the Kenansville store told animal control officers that they caught the Lab mix darting into Dollar General every time a customer exited. Each time the stray dog made it in, he went to grab the same plush purple unicorn toy.
"Finally, they had to lock the door and called us," Newburn told PEOPLE.
Samantha Lane, the officer who responded to the Dollar General store's call, was so moved by the pup's devotion to the unicorn that she purchased the $10 toy for the dog. Once the pup had the unicorn, he was happy to head off with Lane.
Lane brought the dog to a Duplin County Animal Services shelter, where workers named him Sisu after the dragon cartoon character in Disney's new film, Raya and the Last Dragon.
Shortly after Sisu arrived, the shelter posted a picture of the pup and his unicorn on their Facebook page with a caption that read, "This is what happens when you break into the Dollar General consistently to steal the purple unicorn that you laid claim to but then get animal control called to lock you up for your B & E and larceny but the officer purchases your item for you and brings it in with you."
Sisu is currently considered a stray intake at the shelter because no one has come forward to claim him, but according to the staff at the shelter, he's very obedient, he sits, shakes and spends every night curled up with his unicorn.
In an interview with PEOPLE Newburn says. "I don't know of any other reason why he would focus on the unicorn other than he had one at home. If the store had called and said he tore open dog food, that would make more sense but not hunting for a purple unicorn."
Newburn says the shelter has received numerous calls from people interested in giving Sisu — and his beloved unicorn — a forever home. And it looks like it's time for the pair to pack their bags because, according to a Friday Facebook post from Duplin County Animal Services, Sisu and his stuffed animal have an adopter and will be moving out of the shelter soon.
Dollar General spokesperson Crystal Luce tells PEOPLE that Dollar General plans to send a "few extra purple unicorns for the adoptive family," a thank you gift to animal control officer Lane, and a pet food donation to Duplin County Animal Services.
"We are glad to see Sisu is happy with his new toy!" Luce added.