A British family in Westwell Kent are enduring a nightmare after their eleven golden retriever puppies were stolen Monday night.
In a story reminiscent of “101 Dalmatians,” thieves broke into the home of Mark and Julie Kennedy and, after ransacking their property, stole the puppies, aged between seven and nine weeks. Speaking to Kent Online, Mark Kennedy said, “The puppies are quite distinctive looking. They are white all over; they look like little polar bears. Some are only seven-weeks old and they need their mum still.”
One of the stolen puppy – Kentonline.com
The puppies were from two litters from the family dogs, Georgina and Ellie, who were not stolen during the break in. The puppies and their mothers were being kept in a heated room connected to the garage building. The Kennedy family was forced to move out of their home due to a house fire in April. Originally, the family had been living on their property in a caravan, but as the weather became increasingly colder they had to move to rented accommodation.
Mark Kennedy suspects that his family was observed coming and going from the house by the thieves: “We are here all day. We also come back in the evenings to feed the dogs. My wife is here every day and I am here three days a week. We reckon someone must have been watching us.”
Happier times – Kentonline.com
Animals in the U.K. have the option to be “chipped” by a veterinarian, where a small identifying microchip is placed under the skin so if an animal is lost it can be identified and returned to its owner. But in this case, only the two puppies that were nine-weeks old had been “chipped,” while the other nine seven-week olds were still awaiting theirs.
The thieves also stole a number of power tools, a generator and a riding mower, and destroyed a wood-burning stove on the property.
Pictures courtesy of Kent Online.