Pay £1000 or the dog gets it!

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

By Caroline Smith, The Sunday Sun


Petnappers are snatching dogs from under their owners' noses and selling them for cash, we can reveal.

In some cases thieves are even demanding ransom money or claiming to have unwittingly been sold a stolen animal and asking to be reimbursed.

Missing pets charity DogLost has seen a fourfold increase in the last year alone, and says the trend is growing alarmingly in the North.

Jane Hayes, who founded the organisation three years ago after her own dog was pinched from her garden, said: "We're taking scores of calls each day.

"It used to be concentrated in the South East, but we have noticed a significant increase in the North. People know that if they steal a dog they can instantly get £50 down the pub for it.

"And we are hearing about thieves demanding ransoms more and more frequently . . . they are aware that dog owners will pay to get their treasured pets back.


"It is very difficult to secure a conviction for stealing a dog because someone can always say that the animal just came up to them."


And Simon Worsfold, of the Missing Pets Bureau, agreed: "It's a phenomenon which is growing at a frightening pace.


"Burglars will take a dog and call saying: `Give us £1000 or the dog gets it'.


"Owners pay up because to them it is like holding a close family member to ransom. There is also a bit of a grey area where people will see posters about a missing dog, ring the owner, claim they have been sold it and offer it back . . . but only if they are reimbursed."


Gwen Oake's three pug dogs were stolen last October after burglars broke into her house in East Boldon, South Tyneside.


One, called Shirley, was found, but she is still appealing for the other two - Lewis and Alison, to be returned - and is offering a cash reward.


She said: "When they first went I was fully expecting a ransom demand because it is becoming very common.


"Thieves know they're onto a winner because owners will pay anything to get their dogs back.


STOLEN


"The burglars only took the three dogs, so they knew what they were after.


"I've been told they steal them for drugs money or to breed from."


Drucie Speed has given up hope of seeing her Jack Russell Jock after he was stolen while she was walking him in a County Durham park.


She said: "I wish I would get a ransom demand . . . I would willingly pay it."


Neighbours of Deeanne Tennet witnessed her West Highland white terrier bitch Tayler being bundled into the back of a van in December.


Deeanne, of South Shields, South Tyneside, said: "I put up posters everywhere and went to all the papers and it was even on the news.


"Tayler was eventually brought back . . . I think whoever took her panicked because of the high profile it had."

[HarleysMom]

What has the world come to---SAD SAD SAD

[mulroony]

Sadly this happened in a south suburb of Chicago near where my parents live. When the people failed to respond on time (they were away at work, the dog was stolen right after they left, when they got home they did not check the answering machine b/c they were out checking the neighborhood) the guy threw the dog to his two dogs who destroyed the poor dog. Luckily they caught the guy and he was brought to justice, but the sad thing is they would have paid the money to get the dog back, but they did not think to check the machine.