Stolen dog - a warning to local residents

By Elisa Cooper

A week ago Saturday our dog disappeared from our yard in the Meridian Park neighborhood, near Meridian Ave N. We were stunned and couldn't figure out how he could have gotten out as there were no visible signs of his forced exit. 

24 hours later, after scouring the neighborhood, we got a call from Animal Control.  (He is licensed and microchipped.) 

They had picked him up five miles from our house around the Jackson golf course. When we paid $45 dollars (and were told that we should be paying hundreds to get him out because he's not licensed in SEATTLE - but he is licensed in KING COUNTY and we live not in Seattle but King...we of course refused to buy into that ... and that is another story ... ) to get him out, they handed us his collar which had been cut and dumped near by. 

The animal control officers told us it was likely that he was stolen from our yard for breeding purposes and once the thieves realized he was neutered, they cut his collar and dumped him at a park or green area near by. I have never heard of such a thing, but it fits. Our dog would never run away, if he's ever gotten out, he sits by our back door waiting for us. And the collar that was cut was a dead give away.

We are very happy to have our dog back and wanted to let others know of the danger to their dogs.