Three arrested and 27 dogs seized as police investigate thefts
A 54-year-old woman and two teenage boys have been arrested in connection with a dog theft investigation where 27 dogs were seized.
Essex Police said 19 adult dogs and eight puppies were seized on 1 April from an address in Braintree Road, Dunmow.
Executing a warrant on the property, officers supported by the RSPCA found animals including spaniels, terriers, lurchers, a French bulldog and a rottweiler. It is thought the puppies, which are between six and ten weeks old, may have been born at the property.
Essex Police are attempting to identify the dogs and establish whether they were stolen, and identify their owners if so.
The woman and boys aged 14 and 16 were arrested on suspicion of theft and animal cruelty. The three have since been released under investigation.
PC Glenn Braden, from the Uttlesford Community Policing Team, said: “We know the devastation the loss of a muchloved pet can cause and we take reports of thefts seriously.
“We have been carrying out extensive inquiries into recent reports of thefts and this warrant comes as part of that.
“We are now working to identify the dogs we found at this address and, if stolen, identify their owner so we can return them.
“If you have any information about the theft of a dog then we need you to contact us.”
Anyone with information about dog theft, or who thinks one of the seized dogs may be theirs, is asked to call Essex Police on 101, quoting incident 136 of 1 April.
Meanwhile, two dogs have been humanely destroyed after the death of a great-grandmother following a sustained attack in the garden of her home, West Midlands Police said yesterday.
Lucille Downer, 85, suffered multiple injuries in the horrific incident on Friday afternoon in her garden in Boundary Avenue, Rowley Regis, south-east of Dudley.
In a statement, the force said: “The ownership of the dogs was voluntarily transferred to police.
“Following specialist advice it was established the dogs could never be rehomed due to the violent act and should be humanely destroyed.
“This has happened although further analysis will take place to determine what breed they were.”