Dog Thieves?
By coolerbythelake on Mar 15, 2010 in Overheard in Duluth
Has anyone else heard about dog thieves or “bunchers” in the area?
Two different people have told me to keep an eye on our dog as there has been a rash of stolen dogs in the Duluth area. I just peeked on craigslist and the pets board is full of warnings.
Why hasn’t the DNT or the news picked up on this?
Keep an extra close eye on Fido for the time being.
Have these been reported to the police?
Terrifying stuff — especially if the Craigslist posts are to be believed.
Bunchers?
Bunchers are people who round up dogs and sell them to research labs and whatnot. So the story goes.
I wish they would come to my neighborhood and pick off a few pooches. I went out to pick up trash on my block yesterday (9 grocery bags worth in a 1/2 block area) and had to tiptoe through numerous minefields worth of dog sh*t scattered throughout the alley and adjacent properties.
That or they should sell the local dog owners to medical research labs and put the dogs down.
Smells like urban legend.
Yeah, this stuff is always hoax. I’ve actually perpetuated stuff like this before for me and my friends amusement. Sick, I know.
Any specific examples? Names, dates?
They are going around trying to take little toy dogs, if you have a golden retriever or old dog you have nothing to worry about. I don’t think there is a demand for using them for lab tests, but I’m sure the resale for pets is high for some breeds, and yes this been happening a lot recently in Duluth.
I don’t believe any of this for one second.
Look at that Craigslist post. It’s copy/pasted from a chain e-mail — notoriously hysterical and panicky rumor-filled speculation.
It really smacks of the whole “don’t shop at the Miller Hill Mall on Halloween! There’s going to be a terrorist attack!” e-mail that came out after 9/11, among others.
Our dog will be out around midnight and around 5am if anybody wants him.
The Big E,
Where do you live? I’ll try to be there by midnight.
In today’s Duluth News Tribune:
Duluth dognapping ring: Real or rumor?
Farglebargle, did you even look at your source? The Foundation for Biomedical Research. Think twice before believing them … it’s akin to getting your computer “fixed” at Cyberdyne Systems. ha ha
What puzzled me about the DNT article today was the fellow who said he didn’t report it to the police because he feared retribution, yet he has no fear of being in a front page news story using his name?
I mean, I don’t want to belittle his fears for his pets if they are well and truly founded, but there was definitely red flags raised regarding credibility.
@Edgeways, I was thinking the same thing — how odd. If someone tried to catnap my kitties, I’d be on the phone to the cops right away. Fear of retribution for reporting crimes just isn’t part of my thought process.
Let me get this straight: This began as a rumor started on craigslist? The DNT picked it up and now everybody’s talking about it. Facts?
Yeah, don’t leave your dog tied up in the yard all day. And get him fixed. Oh, and don’t buy from pet stores or backyard breeders because they contribute to pet overpopulation. Pretty simple to me.
Basically the DNT wrote an article about the rants and rave section of craigslist.
If there are any journalists left at the DNT, going to work must be like dying a little, every day.
Best quote from the DNT article: “Don’t let your dog out and go take a shower.”
Well, Brandon Stahl’s got a thread on his blog featuring a City of Duluth truck parked at Gander Mtn. Seems like some nosy parker with too much time on its hands took a pic and sent it to Brandon. No evidence of malfeasance, just a pic of a City truck parked at Gander. So far, there’s like 25 comments about it, some complaining about the Fire Dept, others complaining about City workers, and the rest asking why in the hell is Brandon enabling some freak with a camera by posting this pic. Wow, the decline and fall of the DNT is a sad sight to behold.
Well, Matthew R. Perrine, I figured the source I cited was at least as credible as the craiglist posting you fell for hook, line and sinker…a reminder to think twice before I believe any of your articles, ha ha.
The city truck photo was sent in by JP Rennquist aka wildgoose.
@Farglebargle, THAT was funny!
I did not say I feared retribution! A female said that and for good reason. These people are walking right up to people now and grabbing at there pets or the leashes. Read the article better before you speak fool! I fear nothing except the well being of my stolen dog.
Five more missing in my neighborhood and 8-10 more attempts in a two-week span of mine being taken. More attempts in Smithville, West Duluth, Gary! The paper failed to report those! They also failed to report a man attempting to steal the dogs letting himself into a couple of homes to grab the leashes hanging near the front door. What about the 80-year-old man I talked to where a 5-year old boy or so was let out of what appeared to be the family car, ran to his front step and took his Dachshund right in front of him. He had to chase the car to a stop sign and confront the people. Don’t tell me this is made up you clown shoe! A woman had an attempt on her dog just two days ago as a red-haired woman got out of one of the vehicles spotted in all of this and approached her and tried to take the leash right out of her hand. Police were called and they said they were working on something with a deadline and they would call her back tomorrow! They never called back!! Her neighbors are willing to tell police that these people have been casing her house and even standing in her bushes looking in the windows. To protect and to serve right?
Dog thieves are very real and I don’t understand why it’s so hard to believe! Whether there are bunchers in the area or not the fact is someone is stealing dogs and if you don’t know anything about how lucrative a business it is then educate yourself before posting. The professional kennel clubs started alerting people to the problem 6-7 years ago as it is a big problem and it is big business.
The newspaper only reports on what’s been reported. The reporters access daily police blotters and matters of record, even if there’s a simple report of any suspicious activity. No police reports = no newspaper story.
You are citing a lot of instances here, Danny, but aren’t able to provide any hard proof, therefore it’s only hearsay. You seem to be missing that one crucial point, buddy. “What about this and that and such and such…” isn’t what we’re looking for.
Who? What? When? Where? Why? and more importantly … credible p.r.o.o.f. that doesn’t come from Craigslist.
We’re not trying to deny that the things you say aren’t actually happening, but you’re going to need to provide more concrete proof (other than a Craigslist posting).
Pretend I’m from Missouri and show me.
First off you are wrong in regards to the paper only writing about situations that have only been reported on! I don’t think topics such as, “What are the best shows on TV right now” or “Lake walk fixed” is exactly being called in to the police.
We call these people journalists or reporters because they are suppose to put the who, what, when, where’s, and why’s together for us and the story. I told him much more than he chose to report and if he didn’t follow up on other leads that I gave him then the onus is on the writer and maybe his rush to finish a story. I was interviewed around 3 o’clock for a story that had to be ready for midnight print. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to get the attention to the dog theft problem out there but at the same time I feel the paper failed the community in regards to public safety. These guys got into two homes that we know about to grab leashes visible from the front door. They have approached others and demanded to hand over the leashes and when not complied with they try to rip it from your hands. I wish that was how mine was attempted to be taken because there would have been a violent outcome and not in the thieves favor. I directed the writer to where I knew the woman lived that had the 2 attempts on her Pom and entry into her house and I also offered on the following day I could show him where the elderly man lived that had to chase down the car taking his Dachshund.
Your what, when, and where have been answered!
The who and the why we are not certain about but without the police taking this serious we are left to do the searching ourselves and trust me I haven’t stopped in the month my dog has been gone! Go through my neighborhood and ask questions, ask the staffs that work at the local gas stations and they will tell you of numerous stories including ones of close friends! Nothing is being made up here and I don’t need to prove anything to you! If you have dogs I would suggest keeping a close eye on them more so now than ever!
Have a great day of being the slick witted one with endless takes on blogs! Congrats!
A friend of a friend of a guy who knows a guy who works at a gas station? Really? No names. No addresses. No credible evidence to refute hearsay.
I’ll repeat myself and state that I’m not trying to say this isn’t happening. I’m just asking for more than secondhand stories and vague details.
…and I said I could drag the police or the reporter to some of these others. I will even take you to these other people! We have full license plate numbers on 2 vehicles and partials on 2 more. Don’t tell me hearsay or no credible evidence!!
Not to mention when called with a situation at hand on Wednesday where a dog was attempted to be taken right from the owner the police told the female they would call back tomorrow and then they didn’t! For the most part, the vagueness of it all is because many of us affected are just starting to find each other and share stories and in doing so it’s all starting to add up. Not our fault if the paper didn’t take the time in being more thorough before publishing a story. Hearsay my a**!
Have a nice day of being smug!
And soylent green is people… or dogs
@ Tim: made from the best stuff on earth!
Have a nice day making snarky comments on PDD!
They still haven’t taken our dog.
I can’t comment on bunchers, but a hungry-looking indigent type said to me yesterday, “Your dog would taste delicious barbequed.” I laughed and kept walking, but the comment was unnerving.
To the Big E: gads how I love something to make me smile on PDD, it happens so infrequently. I just had to thank you for a little bit of doggie humor…lol.
There’s a dog that lives four houses down from us that can totally disappear.