Local gardaí involved in recovery of stolen fox hound pups

The puppies were recovered in Belfast Harbour on their way to a ferry, and following a multi-agency cross-border operation involving An Garda Síochána in Galway, Monaghan, Clones and Bailieborough.

Local Gardaí were involved in the recovery of four fox hound puppies stolen from Co Galway last month.

The puppies were recovered in Belfast Harbour on their way to a ferry, and following a multi-agency cross-border operation involving An Garda Síochána in Galway, Monaghan, Clones and Bailieborough.

Also involved were members of Belfast Harbour Police, Belfast City Council Animal Welfare Service, the, the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA), and the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA).

The four pups were stolen from the Craughwell area on June 21 last.

During the course of a search and seizure operation at Belfast Harbour two days later, a number of dogs including the four fox hound pups were recovered by Belfast City Council Animal Welfare Service.

These puppies, which were just four weeks old when stolen, have since been returned to their owner and reunited with their mother. “They are in good health,” a spokesperson for An Garda Siochana reported.

In an unconnected incident, several dozen dogs, including four nursing bitches and their pups, were found being transported in the back of a truck in Cavan the previous month.

The canines were found and recovered after a truck was stopped by Gardaí conducting an Operation Fanacht checkpoint at Corduff, Ballinagh back in early May.

Upon inspection of the truck, officers discovered the dogs, believed to have been as many as 55, and contacted other statutory agencies for assistance before seizing the animals.

Gardaí are meanwhile appealing to the public to take extra crime prevention measures when it comes to caring for your pet, particularly high-value breeds of dogs.

Pet owners are advised to protect their animals by ensuring that they are microchipped. This ensures that the dog can be easily identified if found and returned to the owner.

It is also important that pets like cats and dogs have a collar which should include the owner’s contact details in the event that the animal gets lost.

Anyone transporting an animal to another country must also ensure that the animal is microchipped and has a pet passport so that they can be traced.

Animal owners are also advised to ensure that their home and garden are secure as this will help to prevent theft and deter potential culprits.

Those with a high value breed of animal could also invest in CCTV and other crime prevention measures.

Further advice on home security, gardens and landscaping can be found at - https://www.garda.ie/en/Crime-Prevention/Gardens-and-Landscaping.pdf

Anyone who finds a lost animal is advised to be sure that they are contacting the rightful owner before returning the animal.

If a dog is stolen, it’s important to act quickly say gardaí by:

• Immediately reporting the theft to Gardaí.

• Report the loss to your local authority, your vet and your dog’s microchip company.

• Spread the word on social media – post clear photos and detailed descriptions both on your profile and any other groups and pages you are connected with and encourage people to share quickly

• Create posters and flyers, distribute these around your local community.

• Check your insurance policy, it might be able to cover some of these costs.

• Report the theft on as many missing animal websites as you can and keep an eye out on social media and selling pages.

For more information on how to keep your dog safe: https://www.garda.ie/!6MPWQ3

READ MORE: https://www.anglocelt.ie/2020/05/11/investigation-after-55-dogs-found-in-truck/

ALSO: https://www.anglocelt.ie/2020/06/25/warning-as-dog-nappers-on-the-prowl/