P.A. woman reunited with dog ‘Foxy’ after dognapping and sale

Ballantyne figured the puppy slipped under the fence and ran away.

Almost a month later, she received a message on Facebook from a woman claiming to have found “Foxy”.

“She’s like, ‘Is this your dog?’ and I was like, ‘OMG, yes, it’s my dog. Where did you find it?’ She’s like, ‘Someone sold her to me,’” said Ballantyne.

Ballantyne’s initial negotiations with the woman to retrieve the dog failed as the woman was asking more money for it.

After police got involved last week, Ballantyne was able to get her dog back.

Stories like this one have become more common in the Prince Albert area.

In March, Marissa Scharkowsky lost her dog “Jaxx”.

Through an online tip, she was directed to an apartment in Carlton Park.

“When the woman opened the door, Jaxx was standing there but she was holding on to his skin really tight so when he went to pull away, he actually yelped,” said Scharkowsky.

Through police assistance, Scharkowsky was able to get her dog back. She later learned it was the lady’s 15-year-old nephew who had stolen Jaxx.

The boy was arrested and soon after wrote Schakowsky an apology.

“After that, I felt so bad for the kid because the writing in this note was horrible. He was 15, but he wrote like my eight-year-old cousin,” said Scharkowsky.

Scharkowsky decided not to press charges. In the weeks following, the boy’s aunt messaged her asking about reward money. The aunt did not receive it.

People who have lost pets are turning to social media for help.

Missing Animals from Prince Albert and area has over 1,800 members.

Site administrator Samantha Johnston is 100 per cent confident that dogs are getting stolen not just in the Prince Albert area, but across the province as well.

“There are dogs going missing for ransom. There are dogs going missing so that they can be used for breeding like back yard breeders. There’s dog stuff going for specific breeds—like bully breeds, which are used for dog fighting rings,” said Johnston.

Johnston said when she first started the group there was an extremely high number of dogs going missing on a regular basis, as high as six to seven dogs vanishing per day.

The SPCA told Johnston that if these dogs were just out roaming around, at least one of them would have been turned into the SPCA.

“Definitely have your dog micro-chipped, most definitely have your dog licensed, because that is what is going to prove ownership. If your dog does get stolen, there’s not a lot the police can do,” said Johnston.

John Morash, executive director for the Prince Albert SPCA, told paNOW he could not confirm the reports of stolen dogs, although he has heard unconfirmed stories.

Much like Johston, Morash is also encouraging pet owners to get their pets micro-chipped.

Both the Prince Albert Police and RCMP have said they have no confirmation of actual dog nappers on the loose.

Sgt. Brandon Mudry said most cases of “stolen” dogs involve lost dogs being found, and the person finding it wanting reward money.

nmaxwell@panow.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell

by Nigel Maxwell

P.A. woman reunited with dog ‘Foxy’ after dognapping and sale

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