I have just been sent an email by a friend of mine, one of her dogs was stolen almost six weeks ago now, and he has been found and returned.
Upon examination he had severe bite marks to his face, front legs and back legs and was admitted to a vetinary hospital where the vet stated he thinks he was probably stolen to fight, as his wounds are horrific, the skin has almost been torn from one of his back legs, and he will probably loose one of his eyes.
He was stolen form his own back yard, his owners are inconsolable, i have been alerted as she wants people to be on their guard in and around the midlands area.
Dean

We have just heard of a dogfighting ring that was arrested nearby in the last few days . The b*****ds were from Kirby in Liverpool  and had a number of Pit bulls taken off them - they even had a litter :(
Local paper Showed a photograph of one of the dogs and she had scars all over her face poor little thing :(
I hope they make an example of them for once!!!

My friend had a Great Dane stolen a few years back (she never got him back) from her back garden.
She assumed they had seen her walking around the area, and so on. Until she realised that on her house door she had loads of stickers, beware of the G.Dane, a G.Dane lives here etc. She had her car full of stickers too.

She removed them all !!

I am constantly amazed at the people who paste their cars with pedigree BOB stickers, "I have qualified a dog for Crufts", "agility/show/WT/obedience dogs in transit" etc etc  Why do they want to advertise the fact that they have a dog worth nicking?  It is like the local newspaper article pre crufts with pictures of dogs and owners who are going!

They are mad!

Part of me wants to have the "Aussie Posse Wagon" resprayed, so that it doesn't fall into the "white transit van" category of vehicle - BUT we live in an area which is frequented by what I shall call travellers as I feel in a PC mood.    One often reads about dogs being stolen in our area - and I really don't want to advertise our dogs too much for this reason - we are in an isolated area (which few people know about) and I don't want to draw too much attention to ourselves.

Of course, we'd like to have the "we've qualified for Crufts" tat - but I don't think it would be worth it.

Margot

In addition to my previous post you can viw here
http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/content_objectid=13686931_method=full_siteid=50061_headline=-Fight%2Ddogs%2Dseized-name_page.html
( cant do links- sorry)

Apparently 11 people were arrested and 70 dogs . Poor things they wont b able to be rehomed will they ??? :( :(

At least the dog is home Dean, where he belongs.  Was it a Staff?  how did they get him back?  Lucky people, VERY lucky dog, lets hope it can all be put behind them.
Dawn.

:-(

Yes its a terrible thing, I have won't have a "Beware Stafford lives here" on the gate/door it just advertises the fact.

A Stafford was stolen from a secure back garden of a house on my estate last week (it was in the B'ham evening mail on Monday) I sort of know the people (you knowstopping to say hello when walking) and they are really a nice couple with two teenage sons. Who all thought the world of their Staffie dog "Syd."

They have put up a reward but it makes you wonder these days if the dog is stolen for the reward money. For fighting. Or for breeding, scares you silly doesn't it.

The B'ham Midlands area seems to be targeted at the moment for Staffie type of  dog thefts.
Karen

We used to have the old akita signs on the gate but took them down just in case,our dogs are only champs in our eyes but I'd never live with myself if something happened to them through my stupidity,sandra,
p.s.  and there are a lot  of hawkers in our area,where theft is rife,sandra.

I was always told by my breeder never to tie my girl up outside a shop because she has lost one of her puppies that way.
It is unbelievable the amount of dogs i see tied up in a morning! :(

I have never understood why the "I have qualified a dog for Crufts" sticker was sent out with the passes. I always thought it was asking for trouble. Youd think the KC would know better...but then again :(

hi

well its nots crufts fault you don't HAVE to stick  it in your window ,the people who do probably like to show off ! mind you most people don't have a good opinion on crufts after that documentary they showed ,so i dealt it would impress many people anyway .

This sort of thing makes me sick to my stomach. can you imagine the torture this poor dog went through!! He was probably a family pet and had not been a fight in his life. And now this! It's time the book was thrown at "people" who participate in this sort of thing. I mean real jail time!!
  

Hi Jackie,
What was the crufts documenntary?

hi char

oh it was highlighting what some owners put their dogs through just to get them looking in mint condition ,one owner kept her dogs in a very cold room all year round just so's they would'nt moult and another one hosed their dogs in very cold water every morning to keep the coat in tip top condition just for showing ,they also suggested the show was very polictical don't know if its all true? but if it is the people concerned should be ashamed!

:( That is awful Dean! What breed was he?

I've been nervous of Sam being stolen as she looks the part and used to have 'issues' with other dogs  :rolleyes: Lots of stereotypical 'hard men' offered to buy her off me when she was younger but who'd pay big money for a x just to keep as a pet?

I really hope the police take this latest fighting ring as far as they can and something is done to make an example of them.

My previous Staffy Sam was a big dog and we were asked a few times whether we had thought of fighting him ??
This was back in the late eighties when idiots were starting to parade around with their pitbulls
After reading the article I mentioned earlier I hadnt realised it was so rife .
It breaks my heart to think of a well loved friendly dog cold be snatched and used for this . Or any dog! :(

It's sickening isn't it?

I've met a few dogs that were dumped after fighting and the poor things are (usually) so staffy like in temperment but just brainwashed into fighting :(

It really does make me sad but bloody angry too.

i live in the irish republic.the same thing is going on over here.two of my neighbours have had dogs stolen.even though we are all very rural and live about half a mile apart . it is also going on all over ireland now.
i have a staffy and wont leave her outside now even though we are surrounded by fields.
its disgusting the people that do it should get severe sentences.its about time people realised dogs are intelligent and suffer just like humans do.
we would be devastated if our dog was taken as she is a big part of our familys life.

When I spoke to my friend today she was saying there was a warning on the news from the police about dogs being stolen. One woman they spoke to had two labs taken then when the missing posters went up the people who took the dogs phoned her and asked how much was she willing to pay to get her dogs back she offered £500 they got back to her within three days and wanted £3000 which she paid. The police were saying that it is getting out of hand a now even more dogs are being stolen for breeding, fighting or for ransom. Maybe the police should do something about it and make an example of these people about five years hard labour should do it then they might think before they steal someones dog to make a quick buck

when taz was about ten months old we were out walking one day. He is a large well built staff. Two men in the park stopped to stroke him. i was with my partner so i felt safe. One of the men said how many fights has he been in?
i replied none, he's really friendly. He commented i don't mean in general i mean real fights!! looks like he'd be a good one, thats what they're for- nasty b******s.
i was horrified and walked on my partner staying behind having a *******   ******* ******* WORD!