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© JOAN BARNETT LEEDamage done by an animal is seen Tuesday on a Ford Focus at Heritage Ford in Modesto. The car had some damage done to it by an animal. Three vehicles at the dealership have scratches and bite marks on them. The front grille of the Focus was torn completely off.

A group of dogs has caused thousands of dollars' worth of damage to three vehicles this week at Heritage Ford in Modesto.

The first incident occurred sometime late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, said commercial/fleet sales manager Jerry Urban.

Employees arrived at work to find claw marks and dents all over the bumper, grille and fenders of a car. The fender of a truck had also been clawed and chewed on.

Urban assumed the damage had been done by dogs; there was fur left on the car, blood near bite marks and the smell of urine.

He said the dealership's security company confirmed later in the week that the vandals were dogs, just in time to for them to strike again.

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© JOAN BARNETT LEE Damage to a Ford Focus is apparent on Tuesday at Heritage Ford in Modesto. Three vehicles at the dealership have scratches and bite marks on them, apparently from an animal. The front grille of the Focus was torn completely off.
On Friday morning, Heritage Ford staff found another damaged truck, which had bite marks all over the bumper.

Urban said the damage to all three cars totals about $4,000.

The dogs are believed to be going after a litter of kittens that have taken up residence at the dealership. Urban said animal control officers gave them traps Friday to capture all the stray kittens.