Investigation in Cork City after three dogs stolen during shelter break-in

Luther, Margaret and Reggie: The CSPCA has issued a public appeal for people to be on the lookout for the dogs.

A garda investigation has been launched in Cork after three dogs were stolen during a break-in at the city's main dog shelter.

The manager of the Cork Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CSPCA), Vincent Cashman, has now issued a public appeal for people to be on the lookout for the dogs.

“They were with us for some time and we would like them back. I would appeal to anyone with information about them to contact us or to contact their local garda station,” he said.

The break-in at the CSPCA shelter in Mahon occurred at around 8.30pm on Tuesday when two hooded men apparently used bolt-cutters to cut through a perimeter security fence at the rear of the shelter to gain access to the kennels area.

They then cut through three half-inch thick steel locks on the kennels and removed two lurchers and a terrier.

It is believed the men left the scene on foot with the dogs, possibly along the walkway which runs to the rear of the CSPCA’s shelter.

Mr Cashman said the men may have taken advantage of the orange weather alert when few people would have been using the walkway.

Reggie, the lurcher

A photograph of one of the lurchers, Reggie, had only been posted on the CSPCA’s Facebook page earlier on Tuesday evening, with the message that he was available for adoption.

The tan and white dog was brought into the shelter a few weeks ago in poor condition, suffering from extremely bad mange with a secondary skin infection.

But he responded well to treatment, was well on the road to recovery and was described as “young, fun and ready to run short distances then lie on the couch for hours”.

Luther

The second lurcher, Luther, has a largely white body with a black patch on his right side, and black patches on either side of his face.

And the third dog taken last night is Margaret, a 10-year-old terrier mix.

Mr Cashman said gardaí have been examining footage from the shelter’s security system in the hope of identifying the thieves.

Margaret 

He said all three dogs are microchipped and have been flagged as stolen.

It is around nine years since the last break-in of this kind at the CSPCA shelter.

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