Gardaí probe dog thefts

LIMERICK gardaí are investigating a smuggling ring trading in pedigree dogs.

The dogs, mainly bitches, are being stolen for sale at a fair in Cumbria, England, next month.

The Appleby horse fair attracts Travellers and New-Age settlers from all over Britain. While horses are traded at the fair, dogs are also widely sold. Well-bred bitches fetch big prices for breeding.

A purebred bitch stolen near Charleville was recovered by gardaí from a house in Southill.

Limerick Animal Welfare said a family in the area was targeting purebred females for sale at the fair.

A spokesperson said: “At least 10 purebreds have been stolen recently in the Limerick area. Some were kept at a secret location. We would advise people with pure bred dogs to take special precautions and to have them implanted with identity chips.”

The organisation also said non-pedigree dogs are being stolen and used to “blood” pit bull terriers.

“The dogs are thrown to the pit bull terriers and savaged to death.”