Humane Society warns dog-owners to keep a watchful eye on their pets
Sep 12, 2008 - 12:35 AM
By Parvaneh Pessian
DURHAM -- Paige Howsam thought she was doing the right thing when she left her seven-year-old dog Bailey in her car with the air-conditioning running and the windows slightly ajar.
The Whitby woman said she was running into the Wal-Mart Supercentre in Oshawa to pick up developed photos on Tuesday, Aug. 26, at about 11 a.m.
When she returned seven minutes later, the dog was missing, she said.
Two women who witnessed the incident told Ms. Howsam they saw a middle-aged man, who was about six feet tall and 140 pounds, reach through the window, unlock the door and grab Bailey. The dog managed to escape and disappeared among the parked cars in the lot while the man proceeded in the opposite direction, they said.
The case is just one of many piling up across the region in recent months as lost pet signs flood into the Durham Region Humane Society in Oshawa.
Small dog thefts have been a problem throughout the province for years and can be attributed to their easy transport and concealment, as well as a rise in their value and interest for them, humane society manager Ruby Richards said.
"Thieves tend to be aiming for the fashionably tiny toy dogs because so many people are willing to spend thousands of dollars on them and they know they can make money from it."
Durham Regional Police have not seen an increase in recent stolen dog reports but this could be because people are simply not going to the police for help, Ms. Richards said.
The Humane Society has larger dogs staying for long periods of time while the "Paris Hilton-type dogs" are swept up as soon as they arrive, she said.
"They're like gold," Ms. Richards said, referring to the value of the small breed dogs, including chihuahuas, Yorkshire terriers, poodles and Shih Tsus, among others.
Thieves also prefer smaller dogs for breeding purposes, which is why spayed or neutered dogs tend to be less likely targets for theft, Ms. Richards said. Some have even been known to be smuggled to other provinces or countries, which is why stolen pet cases with small dogs rarely lead to happy endings for the owners, she added.
It's important that owners of all dogs -- especially the smaller types -- ensure they are not leaving them alone in their backyard or car, which tend to be common areas for theft, she said.
"If you wouldn't leave your child unattended, you shouldn't leave your pet unattended either."
Ms. Howsam said she has put up hundreds of signs of Bailey around town wherever she can, but to no avail.
"When you own a pet, they become a part of your family," she said. "I've searched every sewer, every bush, every bench, every pond, and been to every door in the area looking for her."
Bailey is an all-white laso-maltese weighing about four pounds, with black eyes and nose. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is urged to call Ms. Howsam at 905-244-8881.
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