# Buncher Alert: North-Central MN/WI



## elly1210 (Jan 4, 2009)

*I received this from Debbie at Dog's Hope here in OH, she asked me to post this on the board. *

*URGENT: PLEASE FORWARD and CROSS-POST EVERYWHERE!*
*BUNCHER ALERT: **north-central MN/WI** - BE ON THE ALERT FOR*
*CANINE THEFT!*
*I am writing to let you know that there is a LARGE group of bunchers working from the Hibbing-Virginia area down through Duluth-Mid Minnesota-mid Wisconsin.*
*I have not only spoken with many people who have had their pets stolen from their fenced yards, taken off tie-outs, and one brave enough to run up to a man's porch in broad daylight and try to steal his Dachund. Luckily, he lived by a 4 way stop, and ran into the street in front of the cars. When he yelled "What are you doing with my dog" the woman threw her out of the window to the pavement and said "We thought she was lost" then took off before he could get a licence number.*
* Note: A woman was driving and she had a 9 or 10 year old girl run for her.*
*Unfortunately, I was an intended target as well.*
*I'd noticed a blue truck with a topper and a sort of loud muffler going slowly past my fenced yard off and on for the last three weeks.*
*Last week one of the guys (there were 2 men) got out by my side fence and bent down to call the dogs-luckily I was standing at the door and was out there like a shot. Needless to say, they took off.*
*Four nights ago, just at dusk, I heard that truck again. This time they pulled up the the front fence (so all I could see was the side of the truck-no plates). Two of my dogs were out. The guy in the passenger side jumped out and was at my fence in a second, bent down and calling "come here puppy want this come here.."*
*Again, luckily I've been keeping an Eagle Eye on my dogs. I ran out and called Baily (he was closest) and at the same time screamed "What the **** are you doing"...well he was in the truck and gone in 2 seconds.*
*The next day, Dan was out in back by the garage, and Mason trotted up to him! We couldn't figure out how in the world he'd gotten out, until Dan checked the fence. The spot where this dog thief was squatting the night before had used wire cutters to snip several pieces of our fence wire...just enough to reach in and grab the dogs.*
* Please be advised that there has also been a report of a dark haired woman in a coupe-like red car who has been spotted doing the same thing. God knows how many there are and how many vehicles are being used.*
 *PLEASE use caution when letting your dogs out.*
* Mine will never go out alone again!*
*ORIGINAL POSTER CONTACT (from [email protected] - Digest #2230 - dated 11MAR10): *
*Lin*
*Founder/Director of Small Breed Rescue and Adoption*
*List owner of **[email protected]*
*<mailto:Stolen_Lost_Found_Pets%40yahoo.com>*
*[email protected]** <mailto:[email protected]>*
*Alternate: **[email protected]** <mailto:[email protected]>*
*Home: 218 464 0388*
*Cell: 218 206 4276*


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## Sigurd's Mom (May 12, 2009)

What do these people even want with the dogs?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Fighting, reselling...They cruise CL ads often and get the free dogs. sick.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

You can google it. I think it's too upsetting to even post links to.


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## Miikkas mom (Dec 21, 2009)

Sigurd's Mom said:


> What do these people even want with the dogs?


My family is from the Hibbing-Virginia area of northern Minnesota. I live in Albuquerque, NM now but I know the area like the back of my hand. 

This part of Minnesota is referred to as the Iron Range. There are numerous iron ore mines scattered across the region. Unfortunately, most of the mines are closed down or running at only 10-15% of capacity. It is a very depressed area (dont get me wrong, I am NOT making excuses for these thieves!). My guess is that they are selling the dogs for cash. They most likely have accomplices in the Twin Cities where they can get more money for the dogs. How terribly, terribly sad!!


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## Vinnie (Sep 4, 2001)

I'm a bit south of the Iron Range but that's just way too close for comfort.
I know we have a number of MN members on here.

Thanks for the alert!


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## tatiana (Feb 3, 2010)

I'm stunned. I can understand why thieves might want a GSD, but a dachshund? How much money can they actually make doing this? I guess what is the real stunner is their persistence. That's scary. Once you're targeted they just don't give up.

Who in their right mind ever dreamed you'd have to go out with your dogs to protect *them*?


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

It's volume and if you google dog buncher you see what they do with them.


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## tatiana (Feb 3, 2010)

Okay, I did some reading on "bunchers." 

What really gave me pause was what I read about dogs sold for research. That is one avenue that *could* be more stringently monitored. 

The dog fighting bait is sickening. There are a lot of illegals where I live and certain demographics have been busted for both dogfighting and cockfighting. Now I wonder about all those "lost" animal posters at our community mailbox and at the local pet stores.......

Makes one wonder if microchips are really worth anything.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

There is a high demand for little dogs, so they steal little dogs and resell them claiming they are younger than their true age. I was looking to get a Pomeranian about 2 years ago and they posted pictures of the cutest Pom ever saying that she was only 6 months old and that they couldn't keep her due to money problems and wanted me to send a check for her and once they had it they would give her to me, well I checked on the computer and this lady was missing her Pom puppy and had posted pictures and they were the EXACT same pictures and the dog was almost 4 years old!! When I told the lady who was missing her dog she confronted them through email and they disappeared. As for them taking GSD's they can use them for fighting or for security, junk yard dogs or something. Some people will pay good money for a dog that can be used as security


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## Vault_101 (Feb 13, 2010)

GSD or not wouldn't instincts kick in for most dogs that there is a stranger in their yard and it's time to act? That's the vibe I get from mine when they here a car coming down the gravel driveway, hair and ears stand up and they freeze to see if they recognize the car


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Are there any in the Southern California area?I would like to know for my dogs safety.Plus alot of "Lost" and "Missing" signs have been up recently.If anyone has can give some information for the Southern California area please PM me!

Its just scary and sad to know sickos are out there.Its bad enough to know Pedophiles live near you, espcecially when i live across the street from a elementary school/daycare and a park!


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