Blue Cross treats puppy attacked by dognappers

Following a vicious attack on a three-month-old puppy, The Blue Cross is urging dog owners to prevent opportunistic thieves targeting their pets.

Samson, a young Staffordshire bull terrier, was admitted to the Blue Cross animal hospital in Victoria, London where he quickly received treatment for a badly broken leg.

Samson was tied to a bench outside a shop near his home in Notting Hill while his elderly owner shopped inside. Within minutes thieves tried to take the puppy but were interrupted by a passer-by, who alerted the owner.

The frustrated would-be thieves lashed out at Samson, kicking his leg with such force that it broke the bone. The injured puppy was immediately brought to The Blue Cross for an operation to mend the break. Fortunately, he has now made a full recovery and The Blue Cross also ensured he was microchipped before he went home.

Warning for dog owners 

Samson’s owner, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "I’ve been using that shop for years and thought it would be safe to leave Samson there for a few minutes. I don’t know how anyone could treat an innocent puppy that way."

"I’m so happy he is now back home with me and I’m really grateful to The Blue Cross for mending Samson’s leg and for all their advice they have given me. I want to make sure other people listen to their advice to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else, or their dog."

Jess Gower, Blue Cross chief veterinary surgeon at Victoria hospital said: "Samson was very traumatised by his ordeal but thankfully we have the resources here to operate quickly and we were able to fix him up and get him back home. We also fitted him with a microchip which we advise all pet owners do so that their pets can be tracked down if they go missing."

"We also want to remind pet owners that animals this young are particularly vulnerable to both theft and disease so ideally should be kept away from public areas or carried until they have had all their vital vaccinations."

Advice

The Blue Cross offers the following top tips to help prevent dog theft:

• Never leave your dog tied outside alone or in your car while you go shopping, however quick you might be
• Make sure your dog is wearing a collar and tag with your name and address details in case he goes missing
• Only let your dog off the lead if you know he will come back and make sure he remains close-by.

For more advice, visit our All About Pets pet care website.

19 October 2007