“I'm having some trouble wiping them off,” Zaglauer said Monday, less than a week after his 2-year-old German shorthaired pointer was found shot to death in Missoula. The animal's body was shrouded and had been discarded in an irrigation ditch along Deschamps Lane, just down the road from Zaglauer's home.
On March 9, George became the first of four purebred dogs reported stolen from a cluster of neighborhoods off Mullan Road, prompting a heightened vigilance among area pet owners, particularly those familiar with reports of similar spates of dog thefts in Billings, Great Falls and northern Wyoming.
But last week, an English bulldog was reported stolen near Southgate Mall, and a miniature schnauzer that disappeared from a home near Zaglauer's remains unaccounted for.
Missoula County Sheriff Mike McMeekin has assigned a detective to the cases, but said it's important for pet owners “not to confuse coincidence with conspiracy.”
“Right now, we consider these individual cases,” McMeekin said. “I have received no information that would indicate any connection between our local cases and the cases that were reported in northern Wyoming and east and north-central Montana. But we're certainly exploring that possibility.”
Meanwhile, Ed Franceschina, director of Missoula Animal Control, has urged area dog owners to take caution and cast a wary eye where they would normally allow an animal to wander unsupervised.
Franceschina said markets exist for stolen dogs, which can be sold for biomedical research, used by dogfighters in training or just sold for cash.
Missoula's Animal Control shelter is already full, Franceschina said, due in part to a large number of stray dogs. Letting your dog wander is an invitation to thieves, he said, and exposes them to other hazards, including being hit by cars.
In August and early September, about 10 Labrador retrievers were taken from yards and vehicles throughout Lincoln County, Wyo., according to the Animal Humane Society of Star Valley.
The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the identification of three men who used hot dogs to lure a boxer-mastiff named Roxy into a van in Billings on Feb. 28.
“Be vigilant,” Franceschina said. “Just take a little extra care.”
Deborah Ross said her beloved miniature schnauzer, Kota, was sunbathing on the front porch of her Lavoie Lane home the afternoon he disappeared. Ross said she kept a close eye on Kota and insists he would never run off.
Zaglauer, 62, who is retired from the miliary and lived alone with George, said his dog never barked or strayed into other yards, and frequently played with children around the neighborhood.
“This is my neighborhood, and I really feel as though I've been violated,” he said.
Anyone with information about the possible dognappings is encouraged to call Crimestoppers at 721-4444, or the Missoula County Sheriff's Department at 523-4810.
Reporter Tristan Scott can be reached at 523-5264 or at tscott@missoulian.com.
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