Mango, a dachshund

This one is rare, but it's a good reminder that it can and does happen: not only are there people that would steal a dog that is unattended but obviously someone else's dog, but there are people that will forcibly take a dog away from another person. In this case, the person that was robbed of his dog was a 6-year old child.

Reunited after thieves swipe puppy from child
By Kristi Patton - Penticton Western News
September 24, 2009 6:00 PM

It was the equivalent of stealing candy from a baby, except in this case it was a five-month-old puppy named Mango.

Six-year-old Abi Sharma hugs his puppy Mango who was snatched away from him on Main Street where the pair were playing together earlier this week. Robin Soper (background) spotted the dog nearby the following day in the care of an unidentified man who agreed to return the pet to the family.

Six-year-old Abi Sharma had his young life turned upside down on Tuesday when brazen thieves snatched his puppy in broad daylight while the pair were playing outside on the 400-block of Main Street.

“I was outside and a lady came up to pet my dog and then she just ran away with him,” said Sharma, who initially was scared to tell his parents that the puppy he got just a month earlier had been stolen.

The boy returned to the Navratan, the restaurant his family owns, without his usual partner tagging along. After confessing what had happened the search began with his mom, Sam Sharma, and others scouring the area. It was believed the thieves took off heading west down Wade Street but even with the help of strangers who were on the street at the time of the puppy-napping, Mango was nowhere to be found.

“My son was so scared and upset, he even said he never wants to play outside again,” said Sam. “Who would do such a horrible thing like this — stealing a puppy from a little boy?”

Luckily the answer to Sam’s question was answered, as the little boy and his best friend were reunited on Wednesday afternoon.

After contacting as many friends as they could to keep their eyes open for the little daschund, the Sharma’s started putting up missing dog posters. Robbin Soper happened to be walking down the alley behind the Three Gables assisting with the posters when she saw a man walking a dog that looked just like Mango. So along with the little boy’s mother, they approached the man who had by now scooped the dog up into his arms and had a shirt tucked around it.

“I walked up and asked him how long he had the dog for and he answered that he has had it for a couple of weeks,” said Soper. “I questioned him again about it, this time saying are you sure you have had it for a couple of weeks?”

After setting their claim that the puppy was the missing Mango, the man insisted on calling his wife over. Sam said a short discussion took place in which she proved it was her dog by telling the couple of distinctive marks on the dogs paws and Mango running to her when she called it’s name. The couple handed over the daschund and Sam provided them with a small monetary reward.

“The wife said that some kids had sold her the dog (Wednesday) morning for $100 and then passed Mango over to us. I’m just so relieved to have the puppy back,” said Sam who added she was in shock that they had found Mango.

Another downtown business owner called the Penticton Western News Thursday to say that she believes this same pair of alleged thieves had been eyeing her dog on Tuesday.

The woman said a couple matching the description of the suspected thieves came in to her store and instantly were asking questions about the shopkeeper’s dog. The woman said the couple told her they were 17 and 19-years-old and were from Grand Forks looking for work.

The business owner cautioned that this is not the first time she has heard of such a crime and suspected a couple in the summer that came into her store were up to the same plan. She warned that people need to be extra-cautious, keep their dogs on a leash and if they feel someone is being suspicious go with “your gut” and hold your dog close.

For 6-year-old Abi the big grin while receiving loving kisses from his puppy yesterday afternoon said it all.

“I’m just so happy to get my dog back,” he beamed.

The Sharma family said they definitely will be keeping much closer tabs on who is near their dog as it was a hairy sleepless night for them as they wondered if they would ever see Mango again.

“I couldn’t sleep all night. We were praying and praying that Mango would be found ... and our prayers came true,” said Sam.

“Perhaps we should pray that we get the lotto numbers now,” she added with a laugh.

Source: http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/pentictonwesternnews/news/61325537.html
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