Thursday, January 31, 2008

CT: Palomino Gelding Missing on Jan 29 2008


















King
, a palomino gelding, is missing under suspicious circumstances from a facility in the Winsted/Colebrook area of Connecticut, not far from the Massachusetts border, as reported by Stolen Horse International.

According to his owner, King was a barrel horse. She notes that his bottom teeth (not his jaw) tilt forward, just a bit.

More details are available at: http://www.netposse.com/stolenmissing/missing_1/KingCTmissingJan08.htm

To report information about King's whereabouts, please contact the Connecticut State Police, or refer to the owner's contact information at the Netposse link.



Thursday, January 24, 2008

Introducing the "Finding Animals Stolen Tipline" (FAST)

In April of 2007, I received a disturbing call from a woman who contacted me to see if I could communicate with her two dogs, who had been stolen in an act of revenge six months before. She had tried everything, including filing police reports, visiting local shelters, and even calling her congressman. The dogs were still missing, and the trail had gone cold.

The heartache that ensues when a beloved animal is lost or missing is painful, but when the missing animal has been deliberately snatched away, it is just devastating.

While there are many resources for people whose animals have escaped or strayed from home, there is much less support for those whose creature companions are the victims of what can only be described as a ruthless crime.

Whether motivated by malice, greed, envy, or some perverted form of mischief, it doesn’t matter, because the results are the same. The kidnapped animal is thrust into a terrifying and confusing situation, and all too frequently, is poorly fed, housed, and cared for. In situations like these, the prospects for a successful reunion of an animal with his people have been poor.

I want to change that. It is my fervent goal that the Finding Animals Stolen Tipline (FAST) will offer hope and practical advice to the people left behind, with one urgent goal: to recover their animals alive, as soon as possible.

First, FAST will work to prevent the theft of animals, by promoting understanding of the measures people can take to safeguard those in their care.

Second, FAST will serve as an Internet-based dragnet to shine a spotlight on the faces of stolen animal companions, making it more difficult for thieves to hide them out in the shadows. Victims will be able to file anonymous reports, with a photograph and description of their missing animal, which will be searchable by city and state.

Third, FAST will provide a roadmap of links for victims, with directions on how to enlist legal assistance and effectively use existing resources in the recovery of their purloined pets.

Fourth, FAST will sponsor a live discussion forum, FAST TALK, where people with tips about stolen animals can furnish details about their current location and circumstances. Accessible via a link from this website, FAST TALK will be a place where we can share practical information about prevention and recovery, provide support and consolation, and, I hope, rejoice together when animals are reunited with their loved ones.

FAST New England will cover the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island.

I invite you to join me in this worthwhile venture, and welcome your participation.

Maureen Harmonay
Animal Translations
AnimalTranslations.com