The Dogmother Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 A friend of mine has lost her lurcher in the Brackmills area of Northampton, near the woods - after a few days, it is likely he has been stolen to work There haven't been any sightings yet but a few thorough searches and posters are up, the aim is to make him too hot so that anyone who has dognapped him will abandon him pronto. A crew with a sniffer dog will be out at the weekend too. His name is Springer and he has a collar and is chipped and tagged. If you see him whilst walking in the area, could you email kaye@lurcherlink.org ? Many, many thanks - he is sorely missed and his mum is desperately upset.... it's her birthday today too. Link to Doglost poster details Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Oh that's such awful news. I'll send an e-mail to our Northampton office at work, as it's situated in Brackmills. People might be able to keep a look out as they drive to/from work or pop out at lunch - you never know. I really hope he hasn't been stolen, and is just holed up somewhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share Posted February 7, 2013 Thanks L_B. There's been some pretty thorough searching, in the woods, along the estate and river. I think he might have been found or seen by now if he was running around. Hopefully posters up around the area etc will work and he will be found/released. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 The latest news: Just checked the DogLost site, the posting from this morning says a positive scent trail and some Springer size pawprints but still no sighting. Fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Aw bless... there's a number of lurchers that have gone missing or stolen this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 I know, dog theft seems to have reached a high at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Police need to visit traveling sits on a ad-hock curtsy call Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 Good idea. I think that they don't like to do that in some areas as they are no-go zones. I know they regularly visit our local one and raid it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 9, 2013 Author Share Posted February 9, 2013 Latest from Andrew and Diane: 9th Feb Well we spent up to about 11pm in the woodlands last night. Little wood hut, got a fire going with a bag of coals you just light the corner of the bag. BBQ's a poor pig for his bacon, sausages and chops. Now with all those cooking smells and his 4 favourite people in the whole world sat round a camp fire for hours, I would have thought that would be the biggest draw there could possibly be. But there was absolutely no sign of him at all. I have no choice now but to believe that Springer is not in the area any more. Maybe he was when the lovely Wispa was tracking, or perhaps she was tracking Andy's smells or one of the other dogs Tia or Scooby. But sadly, I don't think he is there now. The tracks we saw of a pointy dog following badger prints turns out to have been Phoenix Stevens' boy walking the field while Steven stayed at the top. Steve thinks that someone has grabbed Springer, may keep him hidden for even up to a month before trying him at hare coursing or similar. That's when he will demonstrate he's no good at that sort of thing and get dumped. If someone has my Springer P L E A S E be gentle with him. He is only built for love, for zooming about with his pals and grinning like a silly. He's no use for breeding, no use for hunting, and certainly not any use for hare coursing. I'm told you have to have a dog with brains for that, and super fit. He has the drive, and he'd certainly like to catch a smaller furry thing, but he just doesn't plan ahead at all. He'll not win you any points or bets at coursing. His skin is paper thin so he could very easily hurt himself trying. The Wales dog sounds like the one Katie saw listed from Pontipridd, but the warden and kennels has Andy's number. The Milton Keynes dog - I searched the right area but saw no sign of him or her while I was there. Will keep monitoring. Perhaps now is the time to try the dragon publication for a wanted add, and perhaps leaving posters up everywhere that travellers fill up with petrol/diesel. I'll draw up a list later and get a tick list going for what's postered and what's not. T H A N K Y O U to everyone for your support, love and caring for our Springer. Looks like we are in this for the longer haul. I have cross-posted this all over the place and will also email it out to friend south of Oxford as there's a lot of illegal hare coursing and poaching going on down there at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 9, 2013 Author Share Posted February 9, 2013 I understand that there's a Find Springer facebook page here I don't have FB myself but could everyone please share this, especially if you're in the area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 I'll share the Facebook page on my FB account. We have a problem with hare coursing up here too and we're not a million miles from Northampton (an hour or so) so not impossible that he could end up round here. The next village to us is used a lot by coursers and poachers (lots of very open farmland with plenty of hare/deer), so I'll share with dog walkers in that village. It's a long shot, but I guess once the word starts spreading that there's people looking for this dog all over, then he might be given up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 Great idea L_B, that's how it works - do you remember the last lurcher which was stolen? That was given up after it was made too hot. Springer is quite distinctive looking so shouldn't be hard to spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 He has gone on my fb page too Claire. Now I am the proud owner of an ex racing greyhound, I dread him being stolen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 Thanks Annie. TBH they rarely steal greys, especially ex-racers, unless it's to use as a bait dog Springer looks really useful, even though he's a real numpty at hunting. Hopefully they will realise that and release him without any harm. Andrew and Diane now think that he has been moved to another area where they will hold him until the trail goes cooler before trying him out poaching or hare coursing. He is a distinctive looking dog so shouldn't be hard to spot. Looking at my two flat out in front of the fire, it turns my blood cold to imagine them being stolen, but it's a fact you have to face with most dogs now. Cyrus is a rescue form Ireland; he was originally stolen to course (which he is hopeless at as you need a brain for that ) his scars suggest that he might possibly have been used for bait, before being dumped out of a van by a dual carriageway. He is so nesh that I can't imagine him having to fend for himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Poor lad will be missing his owners too Dogs have such a strong bond with their humans, it must be so distressing for them to be separated with no idea what's going on. Tango really only likes about half a dozen people, tolerates quite a few more and is wary/terrified of the rest. It would really upset me just to think how distressed she would be at being held with strangers before even starting to think about how they might be treating her... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 Yes, hounds bond especially deeply with their humans. Some of you may remember this stolen lurcher from a while back, that had a happy ending due to the sheer amount of publicity about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbug Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 Any news on the dog DM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share Posted February 20, 2013 No, sadly there's one; his owners have offered a reward i the hope that that will tempt anyone who has him or knows where he is being held. The area where he went missing is quite busy with dog walkers, walkers, joggers etc, so they assume that he must have been taken for working and is being kept out of sight for a while before they use him. They will soon discover that Springer is hopeless with prey, so the hope is that he will be found again. Just recently a stolen lurcher was found, dumped after several months, so there's hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbug Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 Hope will be found soon! Safe and well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 I'm very sorry to say that Springer's body has been found Diane is trying to find out what's happened - please can we all send her and Andrew virtual hugs to see them through this sad time I can't even bear to think about what happened to him right now, but am hugging my hounds close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 I have just seen this on the Springer Facebook page, so very sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Oh that's so tragic I've been following this thread and hoping for a happier outcome. Poor boy and poor, poor owners. Going to give my doggy a cuddle and thank my lucky stars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 I hope that he had a heart attack and passed quickly and without suffering; at least Diane and Andrew will be able to draw comfort from that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Just read about this on the FB group. How very sad I hope the vets find out what happened and that he didn't suffer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 That is so sad, I was hoping for a happier outcome. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
