February 14th is Pet Theft Awareness Day

According to Last Chance for Animals (LCA), perhaps as many as two million animals are stolen in the United States each year. That's a staggering figure.

Some 50,000 are horses, and some are farm animals, such as cows. But the overwhelming majority are dogs and cats. In so many cases, their people will never find out what has happened to them. That is heartbreaking, and it is one of the reasons I have launched the "Finding Animals Stolen Tipline" (FAST). As this community continues to grow, we will make a difference.

This year marks the 20th time that LCA has used the occasion of Valentine's Day to bring awareness to the problem of animal theft, and to educate animal-loving people about how they can protect their creature companions from becoming victims. Their public service announcement shows how shockingly easy it is for an unsupervised animal to be grabbed in broad daylight.

I hope it never happens to you, or to the animals you love. Keep them close.

NH: English Bulldog Puppy Stolen from Pet Store on 2/11/08

A three-month-old male red brindle and white English Bulldog puppy was stolen from the Sea World Pet Center in Salem, NH at approximately 7:30pm on Monday, February 11th, 2008.

The store's surveillance cameras captured the theft, and the thief, as shown here in this dramatic photo sequence. At 7:32pm, a puppy is plainly visible in the middle pen. By 7:34pm, that puppy is gone. At 7:38pm, a 20-something male with light brown or dark blonde hair is clearly shown with something the size of a puppy tucked into his green bomber jacket. He walked out of the puppy room, and subsequently left the store.

Read more details in The Salem Observer and the Eagle-Tribune, which notes that the abductor had apparently been casing the store for at least a few weeks before the crime.

If you have any information, please contact the Sea World Pet Center at (603) 898-1441. The missing puppy is also listed through Help Me Find My Pet, Lost ID #u94724. Contact them at 866-699-FIND or info@helpmefindmypet.com.

This puppy has been microchipped.

MA: Standard Poodle Missing on 1/30/08, Possibly Stolen

Marshall, a 5-year-old white intact male Standard Poodle, was last seen on the morning of January 30th on Institution Drive in Great Barrington, MA.

His people have conducted exhaustive searches throughout the area and all surrounding towns, and he is the subject of a SABER Alert by the Animal Control Officers Association of Massachusetts. All to no avail.

As a result, it is believed that Marshall has been abducted, and may even have left the state.

Marshall weighs about 48-50 pounds and is about 25 inches tall. He was last seen wearing a scissored puppy trim. He is microchipped.

Because he is so friendly, Marshall's distraught breeder and caretaker believe that it would have been easy for him to have been picked up and taken by a stranger, possibly even someone who was only in the area for the weekend.

Please contact Carol Cande (413-684-2561 or 413-822-4062) or Andrea Buchman (413-528-2101) if you have any information that may lead to Marshall's recovery, or feel free to Email MHarmonay@fastnewengland.org. There is a reward, no questions asked!

NH: German Wirehaired Pointer Missing or Stolen

Sweetie, a 2-1/2-year old female German Wirehaired Pointer, was last seen on Saturday, January 26th on Old Harrisville Road, off Rte. 101, across from Dublin Pond in Dublin NH.

Sweetie was with her owner, on her owner's property, when she ran down the driveway and started barking. The owner, who was a distance away, believes that a car or truck stopped at the end of the driveway at that point, and suddenly, the barking stopped. Sweetie has not been seen since then.

Sweetie is liver and dark red, with dark guard hairs and a spot of white on her tail. She has an occasional limp in her hindquarters. She is microchipped with her breeder's ID (Linda Thompson of Oakhyll Kennel in Hubbardston, MA).

Sweetie's owner is heartsick, and has plastered the area with flyers, and posted reward ads in the local papers.

Unfortunately, we do not have a photo of Sweetie, but here is a link to the AKC's breed page on German Wirehaired Pointers.

If you have any information about Sweetie, please immediately contact Nancy Cowan @ falconers@comcast.net.

CT: Palomino Now Reported Found

The latest word from Stolen Horse International is that King, the Palomino reported missing or stolen in Connecticut, has now been found.

His owner contacted me this morning to say: "I am happy to report that King has been recovered and is safe. Other than some cuts and the fact that he is lean he is doing fine. He should be coming home soon."

I share her joy and gratitude!