Dog Nearly Snatched???

[nina]

Just to warn people what dodgy characters there are about & how quickly things can happen when you are least expecting it.

Last Thursday lunchtime i took my 2 whippets & 1 IG for their walk round the local golf course.

Had just got out of the car & the whippets were on their extending leads & the little IG who is getting on a bit i had just let off as she trots at my side but i always put her back on if i see another dog coming.

A man came running towards me up the path, he didn't look like a jogger, plain black trousers & a sort of anorak with a hood on pulled close around his face.

When he saw me he stopped running & began walking towards me so i guessed he probably thought the dogs may try & chase him.

As we went to pass him he bent down down on his hands & knees & tried calling the IG to him, i thought it was strange but maybe he just liked dogs, as she took a step towards him he snatched out & tried to grab her coat & drag her towards him.

Thankfully she is not one to go to strangers & darted out of his reach straight to my side.

He became agitated & kept calling "its alright, come here, come on, come here".

I immediatel clipped her lead on but he was approaching & still trying to reach out at her.

I shot backwards on the path & shouted at him to go away, he was scaring her & she certainly wouldn't go to strangers. With that i took off up the path heading for some golfers i could see in the distance incase i needed help.

The man stood up, thankfully didn't try to follow me BUT immediately got on his mobile phone & just stood watching us all the while we walked away, still on his phone.

By this time i was in a state of panic, imagining all sorts, that he was ringing friends or accomplices to come & help him snatch them!!

I waited till he was out of sight then ran like hell back to the car, loaded the 3 back in as quick as possible, abandoned the walk & went back home.

Hence i have not been back there since!

Maybe it was me just being paranoid BUT it was one thing to be friendly to a dog, but another to try & reach out & grab it, why did he not continue with his running & why did he stand watching me until out of sight on his phone?

Either way i'm not taking ANY chances & have changed my route totally.

Nina

 

[alfyn]

OMG (w00t) you must have been terrified

I don't go for walks on my own any more as i'm too scared of the same thing happening .....................what is this bloody country coming to??? :rant: :rant: :rant:

 

[LasVegasNo1]

You must have been terrified I would have been!

I have to walk Alfie alone, I drive to where I let him out so I always have the car with me for a quick escape, but with so many similar stories it's worrying me going out alone at all?!

 

[nina]

By the time i got back to the car, i was in such a state i was shaking so much i couldn't get the damn key in the ignition!

Wish i had someone who lived near me who i could walk with, it would make you feel a lot safer thats for sure :thumbsup:

 

[melanie]

how awful i walk my dogs on my own and i dont really feel safe i must admitt, i do have a choc lab and when people pass that i dont like the look of i get hold of his collar as if hes nasty hes as soft as s*** really but they dont know that, also has charile is now 1 yr hes started barking at people if iv put him on his lead which i dont like but it does make me feel safer. i hope that the number of dogs i have (6) would put people off comming near me but sadly some people just dont care and if they want a dog bad enough they stop at nothing :angry:

i hope your ok nina :huggles: you must have been in a right state afterwards.

 

[Joanna]

I would have been petrified.......................I only walk where there are plenty of people around, never lonely backwaters on my own. It is a real shame. Hope you are OK now.

 

[Paula Roberts]

Really glad that you and the dogs are ok Nina, its awful that this happens and we cant walk our dogs where we want to on our own. :rant:

 

[EMILY]

Having had my rough collie dog snatched whilst out walking all my dogs I really sympathise with you - it sounds like you had a very lucky escape. The snatching of my dog has made me much more aware of what and who is around and I never take my eyes off my dogs now when they are off their leads - my dog was taken in a matter of minutes - there one minute and then gone - it is the worst thing in the world to happen to someones beloved pet and it really does sound as if this chap you met out on your walk was certainly planning to snatch your IG. I have to say i do take a small knife out with me when I walk the dogs now - especially as I go out in the dark on my own along very lonely lanes and fields and although I hope I never have to use it I would if I really had to.

 

[midlanderkeith]

OMG (w00t) you must have been terrified I don't go for walks on my own any more as i'm too scared of the same thing happening .....................what is this bloody country coming to??? :rant:   :rant:   :rant:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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I think you mean whats this country come to, makes me real angry when i read posts like the above, im out twice a day with my dogs, last sunday morning for instance, on the way home from our walk, would be about, 9am, this white bmw pulled up at the side of me, this bloke in the back wound his window down and stared at jill, my whippet, he never said nowt to me, but i felt uncomfortable, little did he know, any hanky panky and i have a nice little tool in my pocket, see the buggers off.

keith

 

[Sunrise08]

Thats awful, :rant: i think u did the right thing, sounds like he was after your IG and wanted him pretty badly, maybe he had someone waiting for him . I'm so glad you and your 3 dogs are all ok, you can never be too careful. :huggles:

 

[julieleigh]

its coming to something when your too frightened to walk your dogs, i recently dislocated my ankle so at the moment all walking duties to down to my elder son and partner but hearing all of this i'm not too sure if i want to walk mine by myself again,where i am there is a woodland area that i like walking mine through and luckily never been approached but then saying that my greys are quite large and when i walk the 4 of them it must be pretty frightening to others as my brindle has a personality of a rottie and is not as friendly as most greys; he's my little protector in and out of the home.

hope your not too shaken up now, it's a good job your ig is like that with strangers...

 

[nina]

Many thanks to you all for your concern & kindness. :thumbsup:

The stupid thing is i am always really vigilant & aware as most of you know my car was broken into some years back & 2 of my dogs stolen so i am just about THE most paranoid person ever, i never walk anywhere remote & try to stay where there are people around ie The golfers on the course etc.

Also i always carry a small "spray" with me & keep it in my coat pocket but stupidly last Thursday it was a lovely afternoon & on my way out the door i just grabbed a light weight jacket, it wasn't until this guy started snatching out at the dog that i instantly put my hand to my pocket & realised i'd got the wrong coat on!!

Taught me a lesson tho, NEVER become complacent cos things can always happen when you least expect it.

 

[Janimal]

What an aweful experience Im so pleased he didnt get your little Iggy :thumbsup: what is the world coming too that people stoop to these levels to obtain something :rant: :rant:

 

[Juley]

You must have been terrified. i live in fear of anyone taking my dogs. Be careful :huggles:

 

[»Tina«]

OMG!!! I'm glad you and your dogs are safe and sound now :huggles: I know how you must have felt though

 

[Nicola]

What an awful experience for you. So much of the pleasure of owning dogs is taking them out for walks and letting them run free off the lead.

Such a shame there are such heartless, spineless, devious b******ds out there determined to spoil one of the few, genuine pleasures we have in our lives.

Maybe we should have our cameras at the ready to photograph these people. They'd probably nick those too for good measure!

Poor you...and take care.

 

[lalena]

poor you nina! i'm glad youre all safe :huggles: people like that need locking up :angry: why should all us law abiding individuals have to fear for the safety of our loved ones, just going for a walk???

 

[~Helen~]

God, what a terrible thing to happen you were really lucky, and I think you're right not to go back there on your own :thumbsup: It makes you wonder if he'd seen you before, or if this was a completely un-premediated "see it-snatch it".

What goes on in these people's heads???? :rant: :rant:

I know it gets scary reading stories like Nina's but in a funny way I'm glad people share them because I for one range from ultra-paranoid to slightly complacent (I too forgot to take my spray this morning and kicked myself when I realised). I think no one can let their guard down, ever, and I certainly am grateful for reminders when I hear stories like this, and also about Emily's collie. Back to paranoia for me :thumbsup:

 

[Lynn-Alexandria]

Glad to hear that you are ok Nina...god its getting worse out there.

 

[nina]

poor you nina! i'm glad youre all safe :huggles: people like that need locking up :angry: why should all us law abiding individuals have to fear for the safety of our loved ones, just going for a walk???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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Thanks Lalena, it is scary cos all you want to do is walk your dogs in peace. I love walking & watching them having a hare around & enjoy themselves but you feel you cant even do this one simple thing now without putting them in danger.

To me, to have them taken would be like having your child snatched. May sound stupid to some i know, but it near on pushed me over the edge last time & i know i could never go through that again.