Animal

Cocker spaniel puppies and mum worth £14,000 stolen by thieves


The litter of seven puppies and their mum were taken from a caravan (Picture: SWNS)

Pet owners have been left ‘utterly heartbroken’ after seven cocker spaniel puppies and their mother were snatched from a caravan in Cambridgeshire.

The dogs, which are estimated to be worth £14,000 all together, were stolen from a caravan in Setchell Drove, in Cottenham. A wallet was taken along with the puppies, which are valued at up to £2,000 each, between 1.30pm and 2.30pm on Wednesday.

The incident is the latest in a series of dog thefts across Cambridgeshire since May. Cambridgeshire Police is now warning dog owners to be extra vigilant about keeping an eye on their pets as it appealed to the public for more information.

Detective Sergeant Ashley Ryan said: ‘The owners are utterly heartbroken and extremely concerned for the welfare of their dogs.

The owners of the puppies and their mum are ‘utterly heartbroken’ over the theft (Picture: SWNS)

‘I’m urging anyone who has been offered a similar looking dog, or knows someone who has, to get in touch.’

Across Cambridgeshire, there have been six other dog theft incidents in the last two months.

On May 3, two cocker spaniels were stolen from Bluntisham, but were found and returned to their owners following a warrant in Willingham on June 5.

On May 13, a cocker spaniel was stolen from Stow Cum Quy, while on May 21, a spaniel was stolen from Newborough, Peterborough, but returned after a social media campaign by the owners.

The following month, two major dog thefts saw nine dogs stolen from Horningsea on June 11 – with one was found close by shortly after – and a cocker spaniel stolen from Wilburton on June 23. And on July 3, there was an attempt to steal dogs in Haddenham.

The puppies are valued at up to £2,000 each (Picture: SWNS)
The dog theft is the seventh in the Cambridgeshire area over the last two months (Picture: SWNS)

Police advise dog owners to keep an ID tag on their dog’s collar at all times, and lock home gates using bolts at the top and bottom with a heavy-duty padlock.

It is also advised that all dogs are microchipped and that their details are kept up-to-date, so that they can be returned to owners if they are stolen or get lost.

Owners should also avoid leaving a dog tied up outside a shop or left alone in a car, even for a few minutes, while it is advised to never leave your pet unattended in the garden which should be properly sealed up around hedges and fences.

Dog thefts should be reported to police straight away, providing as many photos as possible to prove ownership if it is stolen and then found.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting reference 35/48592/20 alternatively report online here.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.





READ SOURCE

Leave a Reply

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.