Where do stolen dogs go?

flannry

Has anyone out there any insight into where all the dogs that are being stolen around the country are going to? Our 1.5yr Rottie x Lab bitch "Bear" is missing 2 weeks today & no sign of her at all - it's as if she vanished.

We have >600 people across the country looking for her through Facebook, but no joy.

It seems there is a gang travelling around the country taking dogs - question is what are they doing with them and how can I find my taken dog?

Any insights would be much appreciated as we're heartbroken, desparate to get her back & offering a generous reward but no-one has come forward yet.

Paul91

i have heard disturbing rumours that smaller terrier type dogs are used for bating dogs before a dog fight - won't go into details

flannry

Ours is a larger breed - Rottweiler x Lab - where do these dog fights take place? I've heard these mentioned as a possible outlet for the thieves a few times...

Jumpy

Do you have photos for here?

flannry

Yes she's posted already on the Lost & Found thread but no joy finding her through that.

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

It's worth keeping an eye out on some internet sites that do classified ads, often they use these sites as a way of selling stolen dogs (buyandsell, bendunne.com etc). Pretend your interested and ask for pics of any that might be yours.

veron01

flannry wrote: »

Yes she's posted already on the Lost & Found thread but no joy finding her through that.

Oh Flannry I am so sorry, she is lovely. Have you put an add on lostandfound.ie? Ring your local RSPCA as they will have a list of animals found and keep a list of animals missing. Unfortunately sometimes they are shipped to the UK so I would also consider contacting the big shelters over there. Drop them an email with a pic. Where was she taken from?

flannry

Hi - i've been checking donedeal & buyandsell - hadn't thought of Bendunne - i'll check that out straight away, thank you.

I have her posted on all the Irish missing pet sites I could find and on 4 UK sites but no joy there either yet - but i have the fingers crossed.

We've also set-up a group on Facebook "Help us Find Bear" - please join & pass link to your friends - the more people that see her photo the better liklihood we have of getting her back. Thanks

Magenta

I just sent you a private message Flannry.

veron01

I really hope you find her. x

lorebringer

Is she microchipped, and registered? If not, she may end up in a pound so contacting pounds around the country would be a good idea.

flannry

She's microchipped with fido.ie - that's our big hope, that she'll make her way to a pound/shelter and be scanned so we can get her back.

I have sent emails with photos to a large number of shelter volunteers and have spoken to pounds and wardens in several counties, as well as putting her details on as many pet websites as I can find.

Her photo will be in the classifieds in the Farmer's Journal (huge readership across the country) on thursday and I'm hoping Gerry Ryan might give her a mention tomorrow also

Clare Bear

It sounds like you're doing everything in your power to get her back flannry. I really hope you find her.

Usually I think they are sold on so keep checking sites. Gumtree might be another one.

Do you know when and how she was stolen? Was she in a back garden? I'm hearing that a lot lately.

flannry

She was taken between 2.30pm and 3pm on the 29th of Dec from our family farm. No neighbours have seen her so she definately didn't go wandering as they all know her and would have taken her in & called us if she has gone roaming.

I put a missing message up on Gumtree - both Cork & Dublin versions of site - perhaps that might yield something. I'll keep checking all the sites daily for as long as it takes.

Paul91

i would go into the local SCPA and pound and have a look for yourself and take posters in there - sometimes when you call in the dog could actually be there they (the person on the phone you talk to) just don't know

Irishcrx

Very hard thing to go through, my heart goes out to you chicken, keep doing what your doing i'll keep my ear to the ground for you.

Magenta

OP is she neutered?

MsFifers

Hope this might be of some comfort to you - my cousins dog went missing for nearly 2 weeks over the Christmas and was eventually found wandering near a shopping centre by some kind people who took her in and eventually saw the "missing" posters.

Dont give up hope!

convert

Really sorry to hear about your dog. It's an awful situation in which to find yourself. It's something I've never thought of happening in the country before and really brings it home that things like that can happen so quickly. :eek: For some reason, I always thought it would be easier to take a dog in a town rather than in the country, I don't know why.

Where abouts are you based? And is your yard far off the road - i.e. did those who took her have to drive a good way off the road to get to the yard/house or did they just have to hop over a gate/through a hedge to nab her? If it was the former, they'd have to have had some neck to use the opportunity to take the dog.

Is she your only dog or do you have others? Not meaning to sound alarmist, but if she was your only dog, whoever may be thinking of robbing the place, so being extra careful wouldn't go astray. Years ago we had a little dog who had a pitch-fork put through her thigh and the next day our house was robbed. We found the dog curled up under one of the beds shivering, so we reckon it was the same person involved in the two incidents. It's unbelieveable how cruel some people can be.

I really hope you find your dog safe and well, and I'll keep an eye out for her.

jrd_old

Paul91 wrote: »

i have heard disturbing rumours that smaller terrier type dogs are used for bating dogs before a dog fight - won't go into details

My dog is a terrier-staff cross & was rescued from a dog fighting ring at the ballinasloe horse fair.. awful to think what might have happened to him had the SPCA not found him

flannry

Replying to a few posts -
Magenta - yes, she's neutered but her scar healed really well so you can't tell to look at her.

MsFifers - i love hearing good news stories - she's 2 weeks gone today so fingers crossed we have a happy ending (soon!) too

Convert - she was in a field near a road - she's so friendly that if she saw any person she'd run to them for a "chat" and she's very used to travelling in cars & jeeps and would think nothing of climbing aboard. She's our only dog & a few people have suggested that about thieves being opportunist - but so far nothing has happened to suggest it might be that. That's a horrible story about your poor wee dog & the pitchfork - hope she/he made a full recovery

jrd - ye were very very lucky, I hope we're as lucky if that's why she's been taken - though she's a complete pet and i couldn't imagine how she could be used for fighting, or rather don't want to imagine

Paul91

flannry wrote: »

jrd - ye were very very lucky, I hope we're as lucky if that's why she's been taken - though she's a complete pet and i couldn't imagine how she could be used for fighting, or rather don't want to imagine

again without too many details they don't tend to use the dogs they take for the actual fighting

Magenta

flannry wrote: »

Replying to a few posts -
Magenta - yes, she's neutered but her scar healed really well so you can't tell to look at her.

MsFifers - i love hearing good news stories - she's 2 weeks gone today so fingers crossed we have a happy ending (soon!) too

Convert - she was in a field near a road - she's so friendly that if she saw any person she'd run to them for a "chat" and she's very used to travelling in cars & jeeps and would think nothing of climbing aboard. She's our only dog & a few people have suggested that about thieves being opportunist - but so far nothing has happened to suggest it might be that. That's a horrible story about your poor wee dog & the pitchfork - hope she/he made a full recovery

jrd - ye were very very lucky, I hope we're as lucky if that's why she's been taken - though she's a complete pet and i couldn't imagine how she could be used for fighting, or rather don't want to imagine

OP is there any possibility that someone could have mistaken her for a stray?
If she was running around in a field unsupervised and went up to someone they could have taken her home and meant well.
Or else she was seen by someone who saw she was unsupervised and took the opportunity to steal her.

barbiegirl

The dog was on his land. In the country dogs, particularly far, dogs wander about their territory. It's not as restrictive as it is up here in Dublin. My little one (currently very cutely curled up beside me, hugging a teddy bear) loves going down to my mums for the relative freedom. It's not the OP's fault she's been taken, it's the fault of those who took her.
OP I really hope you get her back.

flannry

She's wearing a collar with our number on it so no way mistaken for a stray.

The field she was in is between our house and farmyard where my sister in law was playing ball with her just minutes before she vanished, not exactly totally unsupervised/roaming.

Country dogs know their "territory" and stay within it's boundaries.

Someone was very opportunist in spotting and taking her.

votejohn

I really really hope you find your dog soon. Im a dog walker in Cork City so I'll be keeping an eye out everywhere for Bear.

Gonna put it on my facebook account now!

flannry

Thanks votejohn - fingers crossed we find her.

donna1000

flannry wrote: »

She's wearing a collar with our number on it so no way mistaken for a stray.

The field she was in is between our house and farmyard where my sister in law was playing ball with her just minutes before she vanished, not exactly totally unsupervised/roaming.

Country dogs know their "territory" and stay within it's boundaries.

Someone was very opportunist in spotting and taking her.

Hi Flannry, so sorry to here about your lovely dog you all must be heart broken i do hope you find her soon, just a thought i do use a website jumbletown.ie now they have a wanted site you could maybe ask for help there just a long shot as there seems to be a few people on there from cork? if that is where you are from hope this helps.
Thinking of you
Donna

votejohn

Flannry, You've been on my mind for the last hour or so.

I've heard stories of people who;s dogs (mainly jack russells) have been stolen.

They've gotten someone tough looking to go to nearby halting sites and said Im looking to buy a dog, I heard your selling dogs etc.

Are there any halting sites anywhere near you? Its an option!

Or even any rough area that looks like they might steal a dog, and say your looking to buy any big dog to look tough in your garden, might work!


Im hoping this route would help, because anyone in the business of stealing dogs is unlikely to be scouring country houses for dogs, so it sounds more opportunistic, someone was passing, saw the dog, and decided to come back when the opportunity arose.

Obviously you've been onto the guards, but do they have any people nearby that are known to steal?

Groups of kids hanging around should be approached and told that your dog is missing, and if they "find" it there will be a reward, and give them your number.

Magenta

OP have you mentioned this to the local school?
Kids are brilliant for remembering dogs and have a far better eye for detail than adults usually do.

EGAR

You have obviously contacted all the pounds and dogwardens in your area and rang the Gardai? Have you also contacted vets? Often dogs are handed into vets as strays and/or RTA's. I would suggest that if you think she was taken you also put her up on the UK site http://www.doglost.co.uk

Where are you located?