Authorities investigating missing dogs
8-12 large-breed canines suspected stolen from county
BY ALYSSA MEIER
BHG News Service
McLean County residents are being urged to keep their pets close after several large dogs have been reported missing in the county.
The Garrison Veterinary Service is reporting that about a dozen large-breed canines have been reported missing the last six weeks, with so far none being recovered.
“As soon as the weather started warming up, we started getting reports that family dogs were missing,” Garrison veterinarian Kathy Baber said Friday.
Baber alerted McLean County Sheriff’s Department Detective Aaron Matties to the vanishing canines, and he said there is a clear pattern.
Matties said labs, German shepherds, huskies and St. Bernards had disappeared from Garrison, Parshall, White Earth, Benedict and Max.
“They’re big breeds and family dogs,” Matties said. “One dog that is missing would just walk up to strangers that came near the yard and greet the person.”
Matties said when it came to this type of theft, there is a range of possible motives, often ugly ones.
“With these big, gentle dogs, people like to take them to labs,” Matties said.
He said dog fighting was unlikely because of the calm demeanor of the missing animals, but could be possible. Matties said another likely reason for these particular animals disappearing lays in their value.
“They could be selling them off some place,” Matties said. “If they’re purebred, they can be worth a lot.”
