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Truman
Zila
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This page is dedicated to Truman.
Stolen Chihuahua in Hayden Lake, Idaho.
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Stolen Chihuahua in Hayden Lake, Idaho.
Stolen on 9-22-02 in North Idaho. Male white short haired Chihuahua. Truman is neutered. His ears tend to be floppy more than stand up which makes him look like a mini lab. He sometimes hops on one back leg when he runs due to a painful hip that was being treated when he was stolen. He is very friendly and loves to smile and show off his teeth. He hates baseball caps and prefers women over men. He is not fond of most children. His tail is slightly crooked and his color is white to off white\tan. He is 4 years old (8 now) but looked much younger when he disappeared. He has been a companion to a young woman with Multiple Sclerosis his entire life. He is missed very much. Every effort is being made to find Truman. He may have been sold to someone who does not know he is stolen. He may escape and if you find him I will gladly provide veterinary records and picture identification.
~Please help! It has been 4 long years since my baby was stolen. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him and pray for his safety. Please protect your pets. Pet theft is very real! I miss my sweet boy so very much. ~
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White Chihuahua Stolen! Sept 22, 02
Hayden Idaho a small white Chihuahua, Truman, was stolen from his yard when he went out to potty. He was 4 years old and is neutered. Truman has one ear that tends to be floppy so at times he looks more like a little mini lab than a Chihuahua. He was being treated for a hip problem and was on meds when he was taken. I am his owner and he was my only companion. I am Catherine Fisher. I have MS and although my health prevented me from being able to go door to door or search the neighborhoods myself I immediately got the word out about his abduction to all the vets in the Northwest area. I got volunteers to search for my boy. I spent months mailing out posters to all the Vets, rescues, schools, church’s, pet shops and pet supply stores within 300 miles of Hayden Idaho. I called every phone number in the Hayden area and told each person about my boy and asked for them to be on the look for him or anyone trying to sell him. Truman has some unique marks and other features that will positively identify him and the authorities and vets have all been made aware of these marks when they received the posters when Truman was stolen.
As I searched for my boy and after his story ran in the local papers and on local TV stations I received dozens of calls from other people in the CDA, Hayden and Spokane are who had also had their dogs stolen all within a two week period. As we spoke and as we investigated eye witness’s to many of the pet thefts it was discovered that a dog theft ring that passes through our areas a few times a year was suspected in the pet thefts. No names of the thieves have ever been discovered but many of the reports by witness’s described the same vehicles and the same description of the thieves. When talking with police and others who had also had animals stolen I was told that these people may be watching pet wanted ads and then taking their “shopping list” for the animals they know will sell and stealing animals that they target and watch. They watch for animals who are in their yards with fences that can be easily opened or for animals who will come to them for treats. They will wait for late night potty breaks or for any animal they are interested in to be left alone for a short time especially if the family is not home. When confronted by neighbors they have claimed to have seen the animal get injured and that they are going to take the animal in for care, they have even left fake contact information to help convince the questioning neighbor that they were legit. Then the convinced neighbor let the woman (in this one case) take the pug from the yard and put it in her car and drive away (I was told this particular event happened in Spokane three days before my Truman was stolen). Another one in Spokane one day after Truman was stolen was a female show dog. She was a German Sheppard who was pregnant and in the yard for a potty break with her companion male German Sheppard. The female was taken quickly and quietly (she was friendly and willing to take treats from anyone) 4 months later she was found in the New York area when a Vet there scanned her when her new owners brought her in for her first check up with them. She was micro chipped and the Vet scanned her and found she was stolen. Her pups were never found and the seller/thief who sold her to the unsuspecting family was never found. The family had paid cash and the name the thief gave was fake.
Pet theft is a profitable business but not for the reason many people believe. It is rare that an animal who is stolen in our area would end up in a lab somewhere. Labs pay very little compared to private families looking for a pet to add to their family. The most money is to be made by selling the animal to families. The number of stolen pets are estimated between 1-2 million animals each year. After investigating animal sales and the pet theft ring I believe that most stolen animals (who are not killed by cars, other animals or die by some other means and are just never found) are victims of these predators who know that the likely hood of them being caught is low since most people don’t report their animal as having been stolen. Each state has different laws about the value of pets and most states are sorely lacking in laws that will help the owner who has had an animal stolen. There is NO dedicated place to report pet thefts in our community (except going online to sites like dogdetective.com or stolenpets.com) so it may happen to dozens of family’s in an area before anyone sees what is going on and by then it is to late since the pet theft ring has moved on, returning only when things have cooled down and people are not watching for them.
I believe we need to have a better way to educate and alert our local area (as well as each state) when animals are stolen. It’s the only way to help prevent these thieves from targeting us and from getting away with our beloved family members. Since my Truman was stolen I have dedicated myself to alerting the public to the threat of pet theft and to help those who have found that they and their beloved animals are now victims of these horrible thieves. Most of the animals taken are never seen again. Microchiping can help since it gives your pet a chance of being discovered by a Vet or rescue. Still we must get ALL vets to scan every animal brought in for any type of care so that the red flags will go up. If they (the vet clinic) trust the families and don’t question where the new pet came from our stolen pets will not be found.
Ever year on the anniversary of Truman’s abduction I write a letter to the editor of our local paper and also post everywhere I can about my boy. He would be 10 years old now. I still think of him everyday. I wonder if he is being loved and cared for as I cared for him. Does he have enough to eat. Does he get to live inside a home with a family who keep him warm and safe? I was with Truman’s mama as she gave birth to him. I was the first person to hold him. We bonded from the first moments of his life. He slept in my bed with me and snuggled me all day. I am home bound due to my MS and Truman was my companion. He wouldn’t leave my side when I was in pain or when my illness made it to hard for me to walk. He would sit in my wheelchair with me and comfort me. Truman was and is my baby. I miss him more than words can say. It took two years for me to even be able to consider having another pet. I was devastated when he was stolen and I grieved horribly. 4 Years ago I adopted another little Chihuahua Toby and just a month ago I adopted another little rescue chi Hank. I have one temporary foster Peanut who will soon go to his new forever home. I have seen and heard more horror stories of families devastated by pet theft than I care to remember. Pet theft is real! Its in our area. But we are NOT helpless. We can band together and stop these thieves. We must educate ourselves and everyone in our area. If your neighbors have pets, get to know them. Find out their names. Know who is and isn’t allowed to take them from their homes. Be aware of them and alert your neighbors of suspicious people eyeing their yards and animals. Report ANYONE taking an animal from its yard! Let the person know you are calling the police. These are criminals of opportunity. Don’t give them the opportunity to steal your pet or your neighbors pet.
If house robbers target a neighborhood or town everyone talks about it and the word is spread so people will be able to protect themselves. Its time we do the same for our pets. Many people have animals that are worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars. If your pet is not altered you pet is worth even more to a thief who can sell it to a puppy miller!
While pet theft for sale to labs or for bait animals was once the biggest threat I believe there is a new threat that we must be aware of. Pet theft for private resale is fast becoming the bigger threat and since sale for hundreds or thousands of dollars and ease methods for listing pet sales are everywhere its only going to grow. We know that at least one pet theft ring has been in operation in the northwest and down through Arizona and California. I am sure there are more smaller degree thieves/sellers who have found this to be an easy and profitable way to live are operating all around us. Many will respond to free ad’s to turn around and sell that pet for a profit and they don’t care to whom they sell your pet. (Read Zila’s store on my website to see just one example of this: Starrloop.com) Pet wanted ad’s pop up in papers, on line (even on Craigslist) and on community boards all the time. These ad’s only add to the problem. Give a thief a shopping list and you are sure to find him/her in your neighborhood eyeing your pet. Its time we take action to stop this theft. Talk to your neighbors. Ask them who is allowed to take their pet and let them know who is allowed to take your pet from yours. Knowledge is power. We can beat the thieves but only if we stand together. We need the press and the media to alert our communities when pets are being stolen.
We give our part of our hearts to our pets. They are family members and can NOT be replaced.
I will keep looking for my Truman. I will continue to watch my pets and my neighbors pets and I will NEVER forget that as part of this community I can make a difference! So can you!
I hope and pray that all those who have had their pets taken or for those who have missing pets that one day you will be reunited with your pets. I hold on to hope that one day I will see Truman again or at the very least get to know what became of my sweet boy.
Mama Loves You Truman!
Hugs
Catherine
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