Sail_Away Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 (edited) Hi DOLers Just wanted to share some sickening news I've heard is happening recently. Apparently in Brisbane and the Gold Coast fake council workers are going around to homes and asking owners what breeds of dogs they have, how many there are and if they can inspect the backyard to ensure adequate living conditions, they do NOT have any ID…. police and council's are aware of this according to others… I have also heard someone walking a labrador at Broadbeach was approached and told the dog must be on a 1.2m leash or it will be taken and euthanised! Someone else said similar things have been happening at the Spit on Gold Coast…. Other things have included placing coloured tape on fences/gates to highlight the different size dogs living there… the latter story was assumed to be a hoax but no proof if it is. Either way, I'm sure this is happening and dogs are being stolen from homes and used in fights or for breeding! This just makes me sick to my stomach and I wanted to share to bring awareness so we can keep a close eye on what's happening in our neighbourhood. Edited May 16, 2013 by Sail_Away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Gifts Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 I'm going to post this on my FB page as all my dog owning friends are on either the GC or in Brissy. Better to be pre-warned than caught out as this does sound feasible - some people would fall for it. I think there was another story about coloured dots being put on fences to indicate how many or types of dogs at a property so they could come back later and steal dogs for baiting or fighting. I just can't understand what a person would find enjoyable about such a 'sport'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted May 16, 2013 Author Share Posted May 16, 2013 Yes please do. It is starting to circulate around Facebook now.. it was first brought to my attention through my dog obedience club and also a group I'm apart of on FB for my particular dog breed. There are lots of people coming forward with similar experiences on this now - for example this is a post by someone (I don't know them) onto my dog obedience FB page: "Some people where approached on a Gold Coast beach by 2 guys posing as council workers - some thing - neon vests and clipboards - and wanted to impound their dog for being off lead. They were not from council but were collecting dogs. Disgusting." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 (edited) Might be an idea to check the facts out of these stories before scaring the shit out of people on social media. Have any of these stories been in mainstream media or on police media pages?? These things always seem to be reported second hand. Any first hand accounts? Edited May 16, 2013 by Haredown Whippets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted May 16, 2013 Author Share Posted May 16, 2013 I do not intentionally want to worry people.. It is more to see if others have heard of this too. I think people should be aware and the reports I've heard say the police and council are aware. Below is a newspaper article from March this year stating dogs are being stolen. http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/logan/family-pets-feared-lost-to-dog-fighting/story-fn8m0u8i-1226591049631 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted May 16, 2013 Author Share Posted May 16, 2013 In Sydney… http://www.news.com.au/national-news/dogs-stolen-from-backyards-for-illegal-fights/story-fncynjr2-1226631151977 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 Second article had a thread of its own here for a while. Interesting that in both the Qld and NSW examples, police had not received a single report of theft. As I said in the other thread before it went 'poof', the fact that dog fighting rings are a possible explanation doesn't make it the only one. Take the precautions listed in the Qld article but I'd resist the urge to make people paranoid about dog theft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 In the NSW example the police did receive several reports and are investigating. The Police also made a public plea for information on the stolen dogs and asked for people whose dogs had recently gone missing from a particular neighbourhood to contact them. There is an increase, I believe, in dogs being stolen. It is assumed it is for dog fighting. One dog in Sydney had been found with severe injuries that may have been attributable to being mutilated by another dog or dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 Dog fighting does exist in Australia and undesirables and dirt bags also live in this country. Why wouldn't there be dogs stolen to be used as bait when is happens all across the world where the same two things exist: dog fighting and dirt bags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted May 16, 2013 Author Share Posted May 16, 2013 I never claimed these stories to be true… I said in my OP that I have 'heard' of… I'm sure this forum is not the first time people will be hearing about this as I said it is on Facebook on various pages. I think it is better for people to be 'aware' rather than ignorant to something like this, true or false. A vet in my area recently posted a notice about a blue stuffy that was stolen from a park by a man who pulled up in a car, picked up the dog and drove off. This park is only a few hundred metres up the road from where I live and I witnessed '1st hand' the advertisements around my area about this incident. So please don't put down my post and say I am going to make everyone paranoid, everyone will react differently and it is more about awareness and whether anyone can provide more information on these events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chezy Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 after the articles in sydney the police did then recieve reports, it is not the first port of call people make when their dog goes missing, was not until it became more known that people started to call the police and report missing dogs , they now say to keep your dogs secured and on leash, no I dont have a link, that was after calling them for an update . I had heard here that there were stickers being placed on gates , don't know if this is just hype or real, but never hurts to keep an eye out for something out of the ordinary . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Gifts Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 HW I also wasn't wanting to cause a panic but this does sound feasible to me - people posing as council workers to locate suitable dogs. I'd rather be pre-warned and I know my dog loving friends would too. Often we don't question authority, even if our gut is telling us something doesn't seem right. Scammers and thieves are getting smarter to obtain what they want and we have to keep a step ahead by being informed and vigilant rather than paranoid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 after the articles in sydney the police did then recieve reports, it is not the first port of call people make when their dog goes missing, was not until it became more known that people started to call the police and report missing dogs , they now say to keep your dogs secured and on leash, no I dont have a link, that was after calling them for an update . I had heard here that there were stickers being placed on gates , don't know if this is just hype or real, but never hurts to keep an eye out for something out of the ordinary . Yes, if my dog went missing I would asusme it got out, not was stolen, so I wouldn;t report it to the police. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 In today's news… http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/east/bayside-dog-owners-are-on-high-alert-following-spate-of-attempted-abductions-by-thieves-posing-as-council-workers/story-fn8m0sve-1226644614305 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 Here we go HW actually from Neighbourhood watch page.. official police statement: http://nhwq.org/2013/05/dogs-targeted-by-thieves/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummamia Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 (edited) This article is being posted and shared on facebook... via Crime Watch Logan... Be Aware Dog Nappers are out and about... Edited May 18, 2013 by Mummamia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandybrush Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 my dogs are locked in the house...but that doesnt stop me from worrying that someone will break in to steal them...i just dont know what more i can do to keep them safe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosetta Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 I don't doubt dogs are stolen for foul purposes. Quite often you see ads on Gumtree etc about dogs being stolen - notice quite a few in the Logan area lately also. It would not surprise me if people did not bother reporting it to the police - they may not be interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Gifts Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 If I was a police officer I would think there would have to be some kind of evidence of theft (rather than the dog just escaped) for me to consider it a crime that needed investigation. Heartbreaking for an owner if that is what they felt had happened but 'lost' and 'stolen' are two different things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 (edited) Just saw this on nine news yesterday (Adelaide) Edited June 21, 2013 by Sail_Away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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