Reward Offered In Northwest Wyo. Dog Theft Cases

September 28, 2007

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is offering a reward of up to $2500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the confirmed theft of one dog and the suspicious disappearance of eight dogs from the pet owners’ yards and vehicles in Northeast Wyoming, particularly in Lincoln County.

The Case:
Since August, over nine Labrador Retrievers have been taken from yards and vehicles; one was even unhooked from an outside tether. When more than one dog was present, just the Labrador Retriever was taken, no other breeds are reported stolen at this time. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s office has no evidence yet as to why just Labrador Retriever type dogs have been involved. Labrador Retrievers are the most popular breed of owned pet in Lincoln County along with herding breeds

On August 10, a Nebraska couple traveling through Lincoln County reported their five month old Labrador Retriever, Izzy, was stolen when they were dining in a restaurant. An employee of the restaurant witnessed a young man smash the window of their car, remove Izzy, and run away holding the puppy. According to Animal Humane Association of Star Valley, four yellow labs and three black labs were taken from fenced yards.

“The crime of pet theft is familiar to Wyoming residents who remember the 2001 case in Goshen County when a Basset Hound named Dexter, was stolen from his caregiver’s home, tortured and burned,” said Dave Pauli, director of The HSUS’ Northern Rockies Regional Office. “The Humane Society of the United States is committed to ending cruelty towards pets. Our Animal Cruelty Response and Reward Fund is one way we can help local law enforcement and communities bring animal abusers to justice.”

Lincoln County Sheriff Shane Johnson said, “My agency is concerned over these crimes. We care about the welfare of the missing animals and their owners who are now victims over the loss of their pets. We encourage people to please contact their local law enforcement agency when their pet or owned animals becomes missing under suspicious circumstances. We appreciate the assistance of The Humane Society of the United States in solving these disappearances.” 

Background:
There are circumstances when lost or stolen dogs could end up in the hands of dogfighters who steal dogs to use as “bait” to train fighting dogs. They may also be taken by unscrupulous Class B dealers who sell dogs from random sources to research institutions for use in biomedical research, testing and education procedures. 

There are only two states in the nation with misdemeanor dogfighting laws: Idaho and Wyoming. Lincoln County Wyo., where the majority of the dog thefts occurred, is on the Idaho border.

The Investigators:
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is investigating this case. Anyone with information is urged to contact Sheriff Shane Johnson at (307) 877-3971.

-30-

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization – backed by 10 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- On the web at humanesociety.org.

The Northern Rockies Regional Office of The Humane Society of the United States, located in Billings, Montana, provides services to eight states: Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.