Dog and her puppies set to be reunited with owner thanks to officers in Partington

A dog stolen from Devon and her six puppies will be reunited with their owner, thanks to police officers in Partington.

Maggie the French Bulldog was taken from an address in Bradninch in Devon on Thursday 13 May while she was heavily pregnant.

Following information from the public, officers from the Trafford West Neighbourhood Policing Team diligently gathered intelligence, which indicated the dog was being kept at an address on Moss Lane in Partington.

Following further inquiries, officers were let into the property yesterday (Saturday 12 June) and the dog was discovered as she was having her puppies. All of the dogs were recovered and taken into Veterinary care, and are doing well.

A 28 year old woman has been arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and released under investigation.

A 33 year old man has also been arrested on suspicion of theft, and released under investigation.

Inspector Jon Ezard from GMP's Trafford West Neighbourhood Policing Team said: "This is a fantastic result with a happy ending for Maggie, Maggie's owner and all six of her pups, thanks to the diligent and persistent work of officers in the Trafford West Neighbourhood Team, and our partners at Devon and Cornwall Police.

"Maggie and her pups will be reunited with their owner shortly, and I'd like to thank our partners at Devon and Cornwall police for their assistance, as well as the public for working with us to track them down.

"French Bulldogs are an extremely popular breed, and the price of buying a dog has increased. But dog theft isn't about money for victims, they are losing a member of the family. Hopefully this will send a strong message that GMP will not tolerate this kind of criminality, and anyone who commits this kind of crime, will be brought to justice.

"I would like to encourage anyone with any information, whether that is seeing some suspicious activity relating to dogs or attempted thefts, to report it to us either by calling 101 or reporting it via LiveChat online at gmp.police.uk. The information passed to us is looked into and taken seriously."

The Dogs Trust have provided some helpful advice on how to keep your pet safe:

• Many dogs are taken from homes and gardens every year so making sure our gardens are secure along with our homes, is a priority for dog owners. Ideally a dog shouldn’t be left on their own in the garden. 
• Never leave your dog unattended when you’re out and about and always keep them in sight. Never leave them alone in a car.  
• Make sure they are trained to come back to you, however distracted they might be. 
• Ensure your dog is microchipped. Having your dog microchipped, and keeping your contact details up to date, gives you the best chance of having your dog returned to you if the worst happens. 
• Walk in well-lit areas, vary your routes and be aware of your surroundings.

You can find further help and advice on our website Protecting your dog from theft | Greater Manchester Police (gmp.police.uk)