[News] 14 Yorkies Stolen from Breeder Home

[LaLoca1]

How horrible!! I can't imagine someone stealing any of my dogs. Like a previous poster said, they're our family! My prayers are with this family.

In regards to what someone else was saying.....I'm right in the middle of getting my lil girl yorkie from a breeder. I have to say, this breeder is definitely smart. Not only has she gotten my home phone and cell number, she has also gotten personal references. She is very up to date with who is a potential buyer. She does not let everyone and anyone into her home. The only people going into her house are the people who are definitely buying her pups and that she knows. Even though people who you "know" are the ones who tend to screw you over nowadays, at least I feel she would know where to start looking if one of the pups would get stolen.

[jbarile]

14 Yorkshire terriers back home after police track them down
'It is a great relief,' dogs' owner says.
By Tony Plohetski

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF


Friday, February 10, 2006

Rick Alspach got the call late Thursday: Investigators thought they knew where his 14 stolen Yorkshire terriers were being held and they needed him to come identify them.

By early today, the dogs — including seven puppies — had been safely returned to their Williamson County home, where Alspach said they were sleeping soundly.


"I couldn't feel better," Alspach said. "It is a great relief."

Alspach, a construction supervisor, came home Wednesday night after after a long day on the job to find that his home had been broken into and his dogs were missing.

Alspach called the Williamson County sheriff's office.

Authorities began investigating after Alspach gave them the names of several people who had come by to inquire about buying the puppies. Alspach and his wife breed the dogs and sell the puppies.

Alspach said the dogs were found in three separate houses near Pflugerville.

Sheriff's spokesman Det. John Foster said no one has been arrested but that charges are pending.

Alspach said, "I had my doubts I would ever see my dogs again. I can eat, and I can rest now."

tplohetski@statesman.com; 445-3605

[skynard302]

I have mixed feelings about this, after seeing all the cages in the pictures!

[Breezeaway]

Originally Posted by skynard302

I have mixed feelings about this, after seeing all the cages in the pictures!

So do I, those cages were piled ontop of each other. JMO but I dont think yorkies should be raised in cages. Its sad but for some people who have yorkies , its the money not the love.

[hunniebunnie]

Originally Posted by skynard302

I have mixed feelings about this, after seeing all the cages in the pictures!

the article gave me the impression that no one home. so that the dogs and puppies were crated. isn't that what "crate training" is? i think crating your dogs in a sunroom inside your home while you're out is different from raising dogs/puppies caged in a kennel environment. the presence of crates doesn't automatically mean the latter.

[heather_lathrop]

the breeder that I just got my baby girl from yesterday had another woman come and look at her puppies about two weeks earlier. She said she was looking for a puppy for her son. She came, looked at the puppy, and then left. The breeder then locked up her house and left to go to the store. She was gone for about 1 hour, upon returning home, she found her house broken into, and two yorkie puppies stolen, as well as a 4 month old s**tzu, with severe health issues stolen as well. The thing was the s**tzu was on medications, that he has to have everyday, after two days of them being gone, she got a call from her vet, he said there was a woman down there that had her little bobo, the s**tzu. So she went down there, and sure enough, there he was, the lady had brought him to the same vet that the breeder used! So the lady was arrested on a saturday, bonded out on a monday, and her house was raided, it was completely full of animals. Probably other peoples animals! By the way, the other yorkie pups that she stole, were never found. It just breaks my heart. Because she stole them at 5 weeks!!!

[babi1542]

All these stories are incredible but true! I don't know what is happening!

[jbarile]

There are cages but the room they are crated in is very clean! and if they didn't really care about them I don't think they would have taken the thought to buy them the milk bone treats! it's the thought! (even if they are not a designer treat) Also having 14 yorkies left home alone and the parents at work, they have to be contained in a safe environment! the room is bright,clean, there is food in each crate! and I am one of the first to admit I never crate my dogs I feel it's cruel to have an animal caged unless it's wild and being transported back to their habitat! and this is only my feelings on crating! and not to differ with anyone elses reasonings. and this is why I had to make this comment on this stuation. 14 yorkies! in this situation crates are needed but myself I would have had all the crates on the floor doors left open toys to play with and the door blocked from entry to the remaining house.

[Kelz]

that's terrible

[sabrinasmom]

I really think when they catch them - they should be charged with grand theft. Those furbabies are worth so much and you just watch - they'll just slap them on the hands or something. It makes me so madddddd. IF they even catch them.

[DazzlinYT]

We weren't asked here to pass judgement on these people, it was an article about yorkies being stolen, posted I'm sure in order to hopefully educate breeders to 1. BEWARE of puppy buyers not having the best intent, and protecting their babies and homes from people casing them out for later. I live in fear my babies will be stolen when no one is home because I am a groomer as well who grooms from my home. All of my clients know I have yorkies, and yes occasionally puppies...so does the UPS man, the mail man, the meter reader, etc. As for crating your dogs when you are not home.. We do not know 1. do these dogs FIGHT with each other? in which case absolutely they have to be separated for their own safety. 2. Do both "parents" work, or just the husband? 3. are they crated for 4 hours per day, 2 hours per day, 8 hours per day? Does some one come home during a lunch hour to check on them? Are there older children who come home at 3 pm and can care for the dogs? You simply can not pass judgement on someone from a photo. I have 5 yorkies, and 5 yorkie puppies right now. And yes my babies get the BEST of everything, but YES I have crates..WHY? 1. Males Mark! 2. 2 of my girls hate each other and want to kill each other. 3. what about when someone is in heat, do I want indescriminant breeding? NO! 4. Do I want everyone peeing at will all over my house? Nope. I rotate out making sure everyone gets all the love, and attention they need, along with plenty of excercise outside, but also "nap time" in their very own crates (which they LOVE, they are like their own bedrooms with their own toys), and plenty of house time, and one on one time with me as well. you just simply can not pass judgement on someone with crates in a picture. FYI my crates are stacked because of space constraints, they don't seem to mind..LOL Bruiser's is on top, he considers himself to be on the penthouse!

[shyorkies]

Originally Posted by DazzlinYT

We weren't asked here to pass judgement on these people, it was an article about yorkies being stolen, posted I'm sure in order to hopefully educate breeders to 1. BEWARE of puppy buyers not having the best intent, and protecting their babies and homes from people casing them out for later. I live in fear my babies will be stolen when no one is home because I am a groomer as well who grooms from my home. All of my clients know I have yorkies, and yes occasionally puppies...so does the UPS man, the mail man, the meter reader, etc. As for crating your dogs when you are not home.. We do not know 1. do these dogs FIGHT with each other? in which case absolutely they have to be separated for their own safety. 2. Do both "parents" work, or just the husband? 3. are they crated for 4 hours per day, 2 hours per day, 8 hours per day? Does some one come home during a lunch hour to check on them? Are there older children who come home at 3 pm and can care for the dogs? You simply can not pass judgement on someone from a photo. I have 5 yorkies, and 5 yorkie puppies right now. And yes my babies get the BEST of everything, but YES I have crates..WHY? 1. Males Mark! 2. 2 of my girls hate each other and want to kill each other. 3. what about when someone is in heat, do I want indescriminant breeding? NO! 4. Do I want everyone peeing at will all over my house? Nope. I rotate out making sure everyone gets all the love, and attention they need, along with plenty of excercise outside, but also "nap time" in their very own crates (which they LOVE, they are like their own bedrooms with their own toys), and plenty of house time, and one on one time with me as well. you just simply can not pass judgement on someone with crates in a picture. FYI my crates are stacked because of space constraints, they don't seem to mind..LOL Bruiser's is on top, he considers himself to be on the penthouse!

What a sad story.. There was a lady in our area that sold two pet puppies and the new owners wrote her a check.. Come to find out the checked bounced and the so called new owners were BROKERS! The breeder contacted AKC and did finally know where her pups ended up..

On the subjects of cages and crates: My yorkies are all crated when I leave my home and they are also crated at night.. I honestly believe it is impossible for a reputable breeder to have both males and females with NO crates! I also use x-pens and whelping cages.. That is my perference.. Does it mean my yorkies are not loved or cared for NO! Does it mean I do not care and love my yorkies, NO! Does it mean my yorkies live in their cages 24 hours aday, absolutely NOT! DazzlinYT is exactly right you cannot pass judgement on someone just because you see cages in the background.. This breeder may give his/her breeders more love and care than a simple pet owner.. JMHO..

[Shanatink]

Originally Posted by sabrinasmom

I really think when they catch them - they should be charged with grand theft. Those furbabies are worth so much and you just watch - they'll just slap them on the hands or something. It makes me so madddddd. IF they even catch them.

I totally agree!

[lilbumbleybees]

I've always said I would NEVER go see a breeder who made me meet them somewhere and didn't allow me in their home. But as I'm interested in breeding my babies, stories like this make me so cautious of wanting to even let people into my home to see my babies! And I have nothing to be ashamed of of how I keep and care for them! It's a shame that poeple are like that. It makes it so hard for breeders to allow people in their home, but when they don't it makes them appear to have something to hide when they really don't. >:/ It just irritates me. I hope they find the babies and that they are safe.

[lilbumbleybees]

Originally Posted by shyorkies

What a sad story.. There was a lady in our area that sold two pet puppies and the new owners wrote her a check.. Come to find out the checked bounced and the so called new owners were BROKERS! The breeder contacted AKC and did finally know where her pups ended up..

On the subjects of cages and crates: My yorkies are all crated when I leave my home and they are also crated at night.. I honestly believe it is impossible for a reputable breeder to have both males and females with NO crates! I also use x-pens and whelping cages.. That is my perference.. Does it mean my yorkies are not loved or cared for NO! Does it mean I do not care and love my yorkies, NO! Does it mean my yorkies live in their cages 24 hours aday, absolutely NOT! DazzlinYT is exactly right you cannot pass judgement on someone just because you see cages in the background.. This breeder may give his/her breeders more love and care than a simple pet owner.. JMHO..

I agree. My babies are either in their crate or pen if they don't go to work with me during the day. Bouncer does sleep in the bed with me, but Lotte right now is staying in her crate at night while she is being crate trained. Sometimes I even leave her in the cratewhen I go to work and Bounce in the pen so that Lotte won't bug him to death while he is growing accustomed to her being in the house. And anyone can vouch that my babies are some of the most spoiled ever. lol So I agree that you can't judge just b/c you see crates. Especially for breeders, even reputable ones. If you have more than one male and one female who are breeders you HAVE to know who is being bred to whom and if they all run loose 24/7 and one does get pregnant, unless you're physic you'll never know who got who pregnant. Crates just keep them safe as well when we're away or at night. It's no different than when our babies go to the groomer's and stay in the crate there. And I promise they all settle down and are fine. lol I can't tell you how many people freak out that their dogs are so upset in the crate and about 15 minutes after they leave, that same crying baby is asleep or amusing themself in the crate. I always love showing people that when they come to get their baby. haha They just go, "oh.....they're fine......ok!" lol