Monday, February 21, 2011

Dog Gone, Stolen Heart

I'd just come back from my morning beach walk, a three mile jaunt up the beach topped off with a series of stretches. I usually come inside and begin to write but this morning I made my second cup of coffee and went outside to read, facing the beach and the incoming tide. The old stone pier that usually launches boats was empty except for an old man and a dog. I glanced and glanced again; sensing something wrong with the picture. The Mexican man was disheveled and dressed in clothes that didn't fit him. The dog was a purebred springer spaniel, well fed, obviously cared for and expensive. The picture didn't fit. I continued to watch as I grew more nervous. The dog was constantly looking afar as if expecting someone to come into view. He was not at home with the man in charge.

Eventually the man grabbed the long chain attached to the dog and walked past, crossing in front of me. I continued to watch him jerk the dog as he faded out of sight. About 45 minutes later I heard someone yelling and went outside to see him pass by again. This time the chain was replaced with nylon fishing rope and he was pulling the recalcitrant dog along. He had a new red baseball cap on; the dark kerchief around his neck was gone. He stopped and yelled at the dog and beat him with a stick as my stomach turned.

No more benefit of the doubt. I ran inside, grabbed my camera and snapped some shots of the man and dog as they made their way down the beach, then I went to the Islandia Office. "Marta," I asked, "If I lost my dog where would I go for help? Who would I call?" She told me the police. I told her the story, showed her the pictures and she picked up the phone. The police said they would check it out.

I'm posting this blog with pictures in case someone is searching the web for their stolen dog, then I'm climbing into my truck and driving into New Kino. I'll stop at Club Deportivo...someone might have tacked up a  lost dog flier. I know how sick to death I would be if it were Teak. I had recently heard several stories of dogs being stolen in Kino. When I checked the internet I saw notices for lost and stolen dogs all over Mexico and the Baja.

I plan to be relentless.

5 comments:

  1. well, my comment may have disappeared or it may get posted twice. in any event, good for you for snapping and posting pictures. keep us posted if you find out anything. a dog off leash for just a few moments can be quickly grabbed. it happened to a friend but we got the dog back right away.

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  2. Annette, the more I enlarged the pictures the more I realized that the man's hat, jacket and levi jeans may have all been stolen. I have serious fears about the owner of that dog. Gulp.

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  3. This sickens me, Christina! I think you have done a very good thing, but I wish that dog could be taken away from that awful person! I hope and pray things work out for the dog and its owner. Maybe they were out of the house when this man broke in? Springers are generally sweet natured dogs and not inclined to attack an intruder. Uhg.

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  4. Thanks, Jac. Update is detectives now have the pictures of the dog and thief. I saw the 'napper' walk down the beach, same clothes, the next day w/o the dog, and one glove on which scared me to death. I'm walking the barrio looking and listening, altho I can't confront anyone directly. The police have also been notified. And the Club Deportivo has put out an announcement on their radio. I feel so helpless...the dog kept looking, looking; could tell it wasn't accustomed to being mistreated. I told the detectives that I saw the man go and hang out with the fishermen on the beach yesterday so they would know where to find him. I can only hope that he held him for a ransom and the owners have him back. But I'm still looking and watching.

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  5. Any more update on the poor doggy?

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