I would have put this on the thread about leaving your dog outside shops but it isn't quite the same thing.

I never leave my dogs unattended outside shops anymore even though I live in the middle of nowhere. There was an incident in Oxford not so long ago involving an Alaskan Malamute. The owner had innocently left the dog outside while he went to buy something and when he came back, the dog was gone. After putting posters and leaflets through doors with his name and number for the missing dog he got a phone call. The people said they had the dog but they wanted the man to raise a substantial amount of money (can't remember the exact amount). Initially he said, how do I know you've really got the dog? They later posted one of the dog's toes through his letter box.

He raised the money and arranged a meeting place in a local park. He was told to leave the money somewhere and the dog would be waiting. He went to the park and left them the money to find his dog running around the park off the lead. The dog had been dyed a different colour.

Another incident like this happened elsewhere with an OES but the owner was not able to raise the money. As the person was walking to the meeting point in hope that they may get their dog back, the dog was thrown out the side of a van passing by. Dead.

There was another atempt at this in the Highlands but the police thankfully caught the suspects before anything happened.

I can't find the media coverage as I don't have enough time but I'm sure if you search you will find details...if you really want to that is.

This page is worth a look at even though it is a Border Collie site: www.bordercollierescue.org/news_and_views/Content/Stolen.html (sorry I don't know how to do links!)

Please be careful with your dogs.