Posted on 11/06/2009 3:33:03 PM PST by Chet 99
It’s been more than a year since Rosemary Amadeo’s silky Yorkshire terrier, Susieq, was stolen from her home. On Aug. 5, 2008, somebody broke into Amadeo’s Perry Avenue house in Stoughton and snatched her 2-year-old Yorkie, while ignoring her four other dogs.
“I miss her something terrible,” said Amadeo. Despite the amount of time that’s passed, she’s still offering a $1,000 reward for the return of her dog, for which she originally paid $3,000.
Yorkshire terriers are rated as the nation’s second most popular dog — after Labrador retrievers — because of their tiny size and loving disposition.
But all that furry affection comes at a price: Yorkies are often worth $2,000 or more because they are born into small litters.
Their popularity, high cost and small size make the dogs a frequent target for theft, said Cathie Cyr, president and founder of Yorkies Inc. in Taunton, a Yorkshire terrier owners club. She said she’s been contacted five or six times in the last year by owners of dogs that went missing, though she said it’s difficult to determine how many were stolen.
“I think the Yorkshire terrier, being the No. 2 dog in the United State right now, that demand has placed them especially at risk for being stolen,” Cyr said.
In 2008, the American Kennel Club found three times as many dogs were stolen in the U.S. compared with 2007. The organization tracked “toy” breeds, including Yorkshire terriers.
In 2009, only one Yorkie was reported missing in Norfolk County to the Animal Control Officers Association of Massachusetts, based in Hull. The case remains open, said Deni M. Goldman, public relations director.
“Small dogs that go missing are often unfortunate victims of coyotes, so sometimes we have to assume that a wildlife encounter may have played a role in things,” Goldman said.
The dogs’ high price tag also means the owners will go to great lengths to recover them when they’re missing, as was the case when a Rochester woman lost her Yorkie in Stoughton last month.
Owner Janet Torren knocked on doors, walked through woods and placed ads on the Internet hoping to find her 4-year-old silky Yorkshire terrier that went missing on Sept. 18 in Stoughton. She eventually found out that her dog had been in the possession of Stoughton Animal Control Officer Kristin Bousquet.
Bousquet is accused of wrongfully giving the missing terrier to a police officer for his girlfriend. No allegations of theft were ever made against Bousquet, and she apologized for how she handled the incident.
Torren got her dog back safely. The town of Stoughton held a hearing, after which Bousquet was fired.
Kat, a member of another Boston-area Yorkshire terrier owners club who asked that her name not be used to protect her Yorkshire terrier, said she never lets anybody hold her dog in public, having had experiences with strangers who tried to run off with her.
“I never know. I know it sounds rude, but it’s a judgment call,” she said.
Cyr said the best way for owners to protect their Yorkie is to lessen the opportunity for the dog to be a victim of theft or wildlife prey.
That means “keeping them with you on a leash at all times. If left alone, ensure they are safely contained. Yorkies are often escape artists. “Fenced-in yards must be dig-proof and often climb-proof,” she said.
Electric fencing is not recommended for Yorkies or other small breeds both because it’s a danger to the dog and it’s ineffective at keeping out larger predators.
Cyr said identification tags are important, especially ones that have the name of the dog and phone number of the owner and a reward if lost. Often, the “finder” of a missing Yorkshire terrier is the person who stole it and they will return the dog to collect the reward, Cyr said.
“There are a lot of people who will say, ‘What’s in it for me,’ ” she said.
She said that in most cases a Yorkie thief will return the dog if there is a reward.
Another way to protect a Yorkie, or any dog or cat, is to have the animal implanted with a locator microchip, which notifies animal pounds and vet clinics that the pet is missing, Cyr said.
Those steps can help avoid the heartache when a dog or cat goes missing.
Amadeo knows how attached owners get to their beloved pets. When Susieq was stolen, Amadeo said she suffered anxiety and was hospitalized. A year later, her voice still shakes with sadness.
“I wish I could just get her back. I just pray somebody will call,” Amadeo said.
think it’d be too late to get some publicity to launch one of those Paris Hilton dogs up in a balloon? I don’t think it would take much helium.
ping.
Are they real dogs?
..some of the smartest dogs I’ve had were plain mutts.
Maybe b/c they turn around and sell them for a thousand dollars. Personally, I don’t like the little dogs; Danes and Mastiffs are my favorites.
I have Jack Russells. They’re big dogs in small packages.
Taste like chicken
My best buddy is a dorkie yorkie. his nickname is moleman lol
I think a lot of these supposedly stolen Yorkies ended up as Hawk Chow. (Eagle & Owl, too.)
...;0)
I hope he will live to attend my funeral so I am not the one who has to bury another of my many good dog friends.
I dunno, after reading this story I’d be worried that one of your pit bull crackhead neighbors would bust in your joint and steal Harley.
I agree. My last two dogs were mutts rescued from certain death. I called the first one my “peasant poodle”, broad in the beam with an overbite, and she lived to be seventeen. She was smart and devoted. I still have the other mutt. She is eleven now and looks like a little 20 pound yellow lab. Wonderful disposition and I’ve never regretted taking her in.
If Yorkies are worth 3 grand I would not take 5 grand for my Boxador.
LOL,,,I feel the same way,,,
I had him strapped to me last month the night the tornados
came so close,,,
Whatever happened we were Both goin’ together...;0)
He sounds wonderful! I can’t imagine not owning a dog.
She paid $3,000 for a mop dog?
PT Barnum would be proud.
Ain’t seen the thug in over 2 months now,,,
In jail I guess,,,
Cops hauled him and his truck off,,,
Thug woman showed up in it a few days later,,,
Every 3-4 days she comes by to feed the “stock”(whats left).
There are only 3 pits left as I can see,,,
Haven’t had any more problems with them since I started the
open-carry of my .44...;0)
Ahh, my Yorkie Piper is my ‘baby’, lol.
By the way, you couldn’t find a better ‘watchdog’.
http://domania.us/Oaccess/POTLATCH/Piper.html
http://domania.us/Oaccess/POTLATCH/PipersPhotos.html
By the way, a Yorkie and a Silky are two different breeds. A Silky is larger.
That’s good to hear! Hopefully, you’ll get some better neighbors in there.
.
How big is a Shaggy potlatch?
[How big is a Shaggy potlatch?]
A shaggy potlatch? hmmmmmm.
The Australian Silky Terrier looks like a Yorkie but supposedly is larger. Yorkies were originally bred in England as ‘rat killers’ because of their small size.
.
As in “Down the rathole!”
We could send him after the Progressives
Hey there,,,
We’ve seen the owner over there about the 1st of the
month twice now,,,
I’m not sure how much HUD pays,,,
They are out of the dope/puppy mill biz,,,(no litters),,,
I guess he’ll have to have them evicted,,,
Then,,,How is he gunna get the Stink out of that house ?
LMAO,,,I hope he saved all that $$$!...;0)
That said, I do love all dogs.
Aren’t JR;s great dogs? We have 3 right now and have had at least 10 over the last 15 years, about half of those were JR rescue dogs.
I don’t think I’ll ever have another type of dog.
Yorkie porn?
I am a lover of all dogs but JRs are the most fun little guys I have ever had.
I got one in september. The couple who had him lived right next to the highway and couldn’t let him outside. I’ve got a fenced yard and a doggie door so he thinks he’s found heaven.
I don’t think he’s capable of walking. Its nothing but full speed run all the time. He has a “catch me” trick where he runs full tilt at me and makes a leap at me for me to catch him.
I’ve seen shelter personnel funnel desirable little dogs to their friends. I made the mistake of sending a little dog to the shelter in the next county and the shelter’s employees violated their own holding procedures to place the dog. I called them on it and the employee threatened to bring charges against the dogs owner if she tried to recover the dog.
If I ever find a little dog again, I’ll keep it myself for a week before turning it over to a shelter where I don’t know the personnel.
bad news ping
We have 3 right now, the newest one is your typical JRT, small short haired and lively, play, run,chase,play. The other 2 are long haired, one VERY long haired. They have different personalities, maybe from other breeds into the mix years ago. One only wants to hunt, squirrels, rabbits, rats, anything that moves. The other one is the alpha bitch of the group, fat, lazy and grumpy but loves human company and snacks.
I’ve got one (the older female) that’s a lump, and the two year old male that’s a lert.
LOL Good description, and people think all JRTs are wild and hyper. They aren't ya'll.
Thanks for the ping, Dolly. Pinging other yorkie lovers....
>“Small dogs that go missing are often unfortunate victims of coyotes, so sometimes we have to assume that a wildlife encounter may have played a role in things,” Goldman said.<
Small dogs are often victims of coyotes and of birds of prey. If you let your toy dog run loose, he can also fall “prey” to the other dogs in your neighborhood, for that matter.
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