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Dog 19

Police share pictures of 48 stolen dogs rescued from traveller site - could any be from Lancashire?

Lancashire dog owners whose beloved pets have been stolen during lockdown are being asked to check a gallery of police pictures showing dozens of dogs recently recovered from a traveller site.

A total of 83 dogs of various breeds and ages were seized by police and the RSPCA during a raid at a traveller site on the outskirts of Ipswich, Suffolk on Saturday, March 20.

The raid was organised as part of an investigation into a series of dog thefts and six people have since been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to steal.

Following further investigation, officers fear many of the dogs might have been stolen from homes across the country, including the North West.

Officers are still working to identify the owners of the dogs, but a lack of microchips and other identifying features/information has made the process challenging.

Sadly, none of the dogs have yet been reunited with their owners.

Suffolk Police has now published a gallery of pictures showing 48 of the dogs and is urging anyone who believes their dog is among them to contact the investigation team (see details below).

Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Wallace said: "We are keen to hear from anyone who believes any of the dogs in the images may be theirs.

"This work is ongoing and has involved liaison with other police forces around the country, as many of the dogs are suspected to have been stolen from outside of Suffolk.

"This type of crime has become a particular problem across the entire country since the first lockdown began 12-months ago, due to the value and demand for certain breeds.

"I know many victims of these crimes will be anxious to know whether or not we have recovered their pet. I would like to reassure them that we are working as quickly as possible to identify who all the dogs belong to and aim to reunite them with their owners as soon as we can."

What you should do if your dog is one of those pictured

Anyone who believes one or more of the dogs is theirs should contact the investigation team via the email address [email protected]

All enquiries must be made by May 24, 2021 and should include your full name, contact details and the image number which relates to the dog(s) in question.

You must also provide proof of ownership, which can include the following:

- Veterinary/vaccination records clearly identifying the dogs.

- Pictures of the dog with any distinctive markings/scars/distinguishing features.

- Any details of microchipping – however, please note, all these dogs either do not have microchips or have chips which may not be correctly registered.

- Other pictures of the dog(s) which prove ownership during the dog’s life.

- Any purchase details, including details of where the dog was purchased from and/or receipts.

- Any records of reporting the dog(s) lost/stolen either to police or on other websites/charities.

- Some dogs are grouped into possible litter groups, but this is not necessarily the case.

Following further investigation, officers fear many of the dogs might have been stolen from homes across the country, including the North West.