09/06/2021
Warning
BRAZEN PUPPY KIDNAPPING IN MELBOURNE PARK
A woman has attempted to steal two puppies from a park in Elwood, by clipping the dogs onto her own lead while they were playing in front of their owners.
The incident occurred yesterday, June 8, about 5.30pm at Elsternwick Park, which is popular among dog owners in the area due to it being an off-leash area.
Emily Gleeson said her partner was walking their 17-week-old Groodle puppy, Mack, in the park when he let Mack off her lead so that she could play with the other dogs.
Her partner was chatting to another dog owner, with Mack less than 40m away from him, when an unknown woman approached the group of dogs and blatantly clipped two puppies - Mack and a 6-month-old Labrador - to her lead.
Gleeson said the woman then “casually” walked away with the dogs before she was stopped by a bystander. She said the bystander recognised the Labrador didn’t belong to the woman.
“She freaked out and unclipped both the dogs from their leads and ran away,” Gleeson told 10 News First Melbourne.
“It’s just really shaken us, it’s in front of so many people, in a busy park. We weren’t expecting it. We will be keeping a much closer eye on her now.”
Gleeson said she suspects the woman had planned to sell the two puppies if she had gotten away with it. “Being a puppy, it’s obviously a massive drawcard to steal her,” she said.
The Elwood couple are thankful that Mack is safe and sound at home with them, but warned other dog owners: “Please keep a close eye on your dogs, especially those that are young.”
“This was done while a large number of other dogs and people were around, and was clearly pre-meditated as she had no dog with her and was carrying leads.”
“I hope it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
The incident will be reported to police, she said. The woman is described as being of thin build, about 160cm tall, and was wearing a pink hoodie with the hood pulled over her head.
