The wide eyes of a mixed-breed puppy gaze out from wanted posters blanketing the inner-city — a desperate attempt by her frantic owner to locate her after she was snatched from the yard of his Mill Creek home last week.
“At first, I thought she just got out, but my yard is extremely dog-proofed,” Ryan Hanly said yesterday.
“Then I found out someone who was lurking around my yard that day was seen walking her.”
Bug, a seven-month-old Boston terrier-pug cross is unique not only by her tiger-striped brindle coat, but because of her medical needs. The puppy has a severe bladder condition and could become seriously ill without medication.
Hanly and his family have been scouring the city since the pup disappeared last week. He said he’s discovered dog-snatching to turn a profit is not uncommon.
“It’s not unique, unfortunately,” said EPS Const. Katie Raynont.
“A lot of the people perpetrating these thefts are guys … looking for any way to make a quick buck, whether it’s a purebred dog they think they can sell.”
In addition to offering a reward for her safe return, he hopes frequent searches of Internet and print classified ads will lead him to his missing pet.
“I love my dog. It’s really a terrible injustice that somebody would come into my yard and steal her — it’s ruined my sense of community,” Hanly said.
“There’s a lot of anger that goes with it. My best method of directing it is in persistence to getting her back.”
