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Dogs Disappearing In South West Wa


FlowerProwler
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A SPATE of apparent dog thefts has Geographe resident Danni Stevens concerned a dognapping ring could be operating in the area.

And with good cause – her American bulldog pup, Storm, pictured, was stolen from her MacBeth Way address last Wednesday.

“I was at the doctor with my daughter – I was only gone for an hour. When I got home the gate was shut firmly and Storm was gone,” Danni said.

“There is no way she could have escaped, I’ve got high fences and the gate latch is secure.”

The matter has been reported to the Busselton police.

But Storm is not the only dog missing in the Geographe area. In the course of her enquiries Danni has learnt of five other dogs which have disappeared without a trace.

In the past week two of her neighbours have reported their dogs missing – they are a bull arab and a kelpie.

Nine-month-old Storm’s litter mate Missy has also disappeared from her owners Kent Street property.

The owners of a toy poodle missing from a David Drive address also have posters around town, and Danni has also been told of a missing bull mastiff.

“While I’ve been asking people if they’ve seen Storm, I heard about several cats that have also disappeared in the last week or so,” Danni said.

“The last time this sort of thing happened in Busselton the dogs were being taken for fighting, there was a dog fighting ring at Collie which was busted.”

Smaller dogs and cats are sometimes used to train dogs for illegal fighting, in a procedure known as “blooding”.

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There was a similar concern in Queensland in 2004.

Several theories were circulated about what was happening.

Good show dogs were thought to have been taken for overseas markets.

The dog fighting theory was also put forward.

More people need a Maremma - bred to keep the thieves off the lambs.

Px

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More people need a Maremma - bred to keep the thieves off the lambs.

Px

You must be joking - I actually took the victims of a car theft to the police station a couple of years back - their two Maremmas just stood in the yard barking while a couple of youths drove up to the homestead went inside & removed the keys to a Landcruiser that were hanging on a nail near the back door. By the time the landowner got back down to the house from milking to see what the commotion was, vehicle & spare cash lying around in the kitchen had gone! The Landcruiser was located two days later - full of stolen goods.

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More people need a Maremma - bred to keep the thieves off the lambs.

Px

You must be joking - I actually took the victims of a car theft to the police station a couple of years back - their two Maremmas just stood in the yard barking while a couple of youths drove up to the homestead went inside & removed the keys to a Landcruiser that were hanging on a nail near the back door. By the time the landowner got back down to the house from milking to see what the commotion was, vehicle & spare cash lying around in the kitchen had gone! The Landcruiser was located two days later - full of stolen goods.

Yep.

There are some funny stories.

Then there are those Maremma that almost need to be shot before you can get close to them.

Mine won't let anyone inside the fence.

All dogs only have a potential at best.

Getting them to their full potential doesn't happen by accident.

Px

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I don't think recommending that people get a Maremma in the burbs is all that responsible.

Oh, I don't know.

The great overpowering rambunctious brute I was told to expect turned out to be a total and complete pussycat.

The wrong temperament for a Maremma?

No!

I asked for a companion and her breeder knew what she was doing.

The second dog was very highly strung and took considerable work.

But he was what I was expecting a Maremma to be.

However, he has mellowed into a lovely gentleman.

My puppy girl on the other hand doesn't have a peer when it comes to 'working' temperament.

Too far the other way?

Not at all.

She was raised 'on farm' and was left to do what Maremma do best.

She has not disappointed.

However, in town, because she has been brought in to the Vet and other places she is a complete lady.

Nevertheless, if she is walking with the other three dogs out in the street she needs to be muzzled.

Dangerous dog?

Well don't exaggerate 'protective.'

She was born and raised looking after the other dogs and that's what she does.

Notwithstanding her 'guardian trait' I have been able to curb here zeal to chase off what she deems threatening and unwanted.

So my point is this.

The breed temperament of a dog is only a potential.

The dog, in the hands of the right person, ..., is simply clay.

The dog will be what you make it.

If by the 'burbs' you mean built up areas then I have moved my dogs from Redcliffe, to Narrabri, Broken Hill, Lismore, Nimbin (on farm), Casino, Koonorigan (on farm), and back to Lismore again over the last seven years.

They are easily able to make the transition from working their paddock/yard to walking in the street.

Obviously, I do not support the view that Maremma should become feral which was the view I encountered at the Vet clinic recently.

I think allowing any dog to develop into something that is not dog friendly and people friendly is what's irresponsible.

Regards

Px

Edited by Tralee
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We got our two bull terriers from Melton just over a year ago. The fate of our two if we didnt buy them was either being shot or used as blood dogs. I had culture-shock over the dog scene out there. Really horrifying. there is no doubt in my mind that dogs are being stolen as bait for organized dog fighting rings .

Really hope it is a high priority to the police.

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