The San Diego Police Department Burglary Unit is investigating a case of stolen puppies taken from a San Diego breeder’s apartment.
Two English bulldog pups, worth approximately $5,000 each, were taken from the breeder’s apartment on Thursday. The breeder says if the pups aren’t found soon, they may not survive.
The beginnings for this litter of English bulldog puppies have not been easy. Two died during birth, two others needed CPR to start their hearts after delivery and two more were stolen.
“I didn’t think somebody would steal a 1-week-old puppy, you know,” the breeder, who only wanted to be identified as Justin, told NBC 7.
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Justin said he negotiated a deal, over text, with a woman to allow her male English bulldog to mate with his female called Cherry. He said he agreed to give the male bulldog’s owner a puppy from the litter.
Now Justin is accusing his breeding partner of breaking into his apartment and stealing two puppies from his dog sitter.
“This pregnancy was really hard on me as well, but we got through it and now I feel like two family members are taken away,” Justin said.
Local
experts recommend English bulldog newborns stay with their mother for the first eight weeks in controlled conditions to have a better chance of survival.
“I don’t know what type of environment they are in right now. It might be a harsh environment. I know they have to be with their mother,” he added.
The two pups have since turned up on social media. Justin says they appeared in a video posted on the breeding partner’s page. The location and conditions are not obvious, however.
Justin says what happened to the pups isn’t just a disagreement, but a crime.
The potential charges; grand theft, assault and home invasion, according to SDPD.
So fa, investigators have no named suspects and have not made any arrests.
Justin said he met the other breeder on an English bulldog meet-up group and that their dogs had a couple of play dates beforehand, but he regrets not getting more information, including references.
