Thieves get away with five purebred puppies

By TRICIA MANNING-SMITH / KING 5 News

DES MOINES, Wash. – Dognappers stole an entire litter of purebred miniature Australian shepherd puppies from a Des Moines dog breeder.

Sue McCullough tears up when she looks at the puppies' empty kennel.

It didn't take her long to gather evidence Saturday morning.

"I'm assuming they moved the barrel under the window," she said. "Someone was standing on here as they passed the puppies out the window, out to someone out here, then over the fence."

She pointed to a newly made trail over the fence, into her neighbor's empty yard where she believes the thieves escaped with the dogs.

"They were part of the family and we wanted them to go to good homes. Now we don't know where they are," she said.

Bu McCullough believes she knows who took the five 10-week-old puppies: Two men who came to her certified Des Moines kennel the night before to look at the dogs.

She said the men looked around the property and didn't seem to know much about miniature Australian shepherds. They said they'd call back.

They never did call back, but the puppies disappeared.

McCullough never got their names or any identifying information, such as type of car or license plate number.

She urges others to be more careful as she hopes for the safety of the puppies.

The dogs are worth about $600 each.

The Des Moines Police are investigating.