‘It’s devastating’: Beagle puppies stolen from hunt kennels
Three beagle puppies have been stolen from a hunt kennels in Oxfordshire.
The 1½ couple of 11-week-old puppies were out in the grass yard at their kennels near Oxford, on Bank Holiday Monday, 30 May, when they were taken at about noon.
Their kennel-huntsman, who lives on the premises, was at the kennels at the time of the incident.
“The other beagles started to kick off in kennels so I immediately knew something wasn’t right,” he explained.
“I looked out towards the grass yard and could see two men but by the time I had got close they had climbed over the gate and escaped in a silver Ford Transit Connect that was waiting for them. “Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get near enough to see the vehicle registration details.”
“It looks like they just randomly grabbed whichever pups they could before they were disturbed,” continued the kennel-huntsman, who described the two men as wearing dark clothing with one in a baseball cap.
“There were two from one litter but the third was by one of our champion hounds,” he said.
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“We have never had anything like this happen during all the seasons I’ve been here.
“My wife does everything with these pups including sitting up waiting for the bitches to whelp, weaning the pups and preparing them to go out to walk so she is understandably devastated, as am I.
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“There is no indication at this stage if animal rights activists are to blame, or whether they were stolen by opportunist thieves that just saw them in the grass yard as they were passing, however either way
it is terrible for all of us and we just want to get them back safely.”
The incident has been reported to the police but if anybody has any information regarding the whereabouts of the stolen beagles, please report to Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.
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Polly joined the Horse & Hound team in summer 2013. A former senior master of the Bicester with Whaddon Chase, her hunting knowledge and contacts are second to none. She left Horse & Hound at the end of 2016 to join The Hunting Office.