Stolen Dog Alert (New York City)

Our friend Nancy had her companion dog Teddy, a miniature labradoodle (above), taken from outside a midtown Manhattan Starbuck's on September 11 while she dropped in to get a cup of coffee. Sanitation laws prevent our four legged friends from entering restaurants with us. Teddy is seven years old, weighs about 26 lbs., and has a blue breeder's mark tattooed on the underside of his ear. Have you seen Teddy?

Everyone who has a companion animal knows how it feels when that beloved member of the family goes missing. If you live in the Manhattan area, perhaps you've had a chance to see Teddy, or hear about him.

Nancy is distraught, and has offered a $1000 reward for his return, no questions asked.

If you can offer any information, please call Nancy at 917-859-8555. (Please don't write to us. Contact Nancy directly.)

We would be very grateful if you'd send this photo around to people you know in the greater New York area. You never know.

We are interrupting our regularly scheduled blog posting to take this opportunity to alert our readers to the need to protect your pets.

Please, everyone, be aware that for some people, animal theft is a livelihood. If you walk your dog, keep him or her in your sight at ALL times. If you need to go shopping, walk your dog, take him or her home, and THEN go shopping, run your errands, buy your coffee, etc. Just like you wouldn't leave your toddler tied up outside a store, do not leave your pet, Get your pet micro-chipped and register your current contact information with the company so that any shelter or vet with a scanner can contact you immediately if your pet is recovered. License and vaccinate your dog. Neutered animals, especially purebreds, are sometimes less attractive to dognappers who might plan to breed them.

Losing an animal is heartbreaking, having him stolen is worse, and in those instances in which the pet is found again, it may take a long, long time, countless phone calls and a lot of persistence.

If you lose your animal in Manhattan, here's what you should do:

Send an email with your pet's photo, a photo or description of tattoos and any other descriptive information to New York City Animal Care and Control (CACC), along with your contact information as soon as possible. Follow up your email with phone calls.

The website is: www.nycacc.org.
For lost animals: http://www.nycacc.org/LostPet.htm

Ask that they check all of their locations to see if anyone has turned in your pet. If your pet is micro-chipped, be sure to say so. Make sure that your contact info is up to date with the company that chipped your pet. If he or she has a New York City dog license, include the license number.

If at all possible, go to CACC in person and look at the dogs yourself. Doors close at 8 PM. If you have made a flyer (also with a picture and contact info) that you are posting where you lost your dog, also post copies inside AND outside CACC. The Manhattan Center is located at 326 East 110th Street. Phone: 212-722-4939.

Also contact the Humane Society and go to its New York City location(s) with flyer, etc., and any other NYC shelters. Put an ad (with photo and contact info) on Pet Finder and Craig's List. Here is the NY Humane Society information:

NY Humane Society:
306 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022
Telephone: (212) 752-4842
web: www.humanesocietyny.org
Sandra DeFeo ext.233 sandra.hsny@verizon.net
Executive Director / Director of Public Relations

Search the Humane Society's website for photos of adoptable dogs to see if he/she is there.

Non-New Yorkers, adapt this advice to your local surroundings and contact your local shelters if you or a friend loses a pet or has it stolen.

Thank you! And if someone approaches you at acoffee shop, deli or bodegas around town, asking if that's your dog outside, maybe now, you'll understand why, and won't read that person the riot act.

We've got all of our digits crossed that someone will spot Teddy, and are thinking positive thoughts.

The IFs