A woman is heartbroken after her cocker spaniel puppy died from a wound caused by cruel thieves who tried to gouge out his microchip.
Ten-month-old Bentley was stolen from his kennel along with five other cocker spaniels in November last year.
The suffering orange-coloured pup was handed in to a vet’s practice after being found wandering the streets some 80 miles from his home two months later.
He was found to have a deep ‘funnel-shaped’ hole in his neck and was nursed back to health but collapsed suddenly and died last month from an infection.
Ten-month-old Bentley was stolen from his kennel along with five other cocker spaniels in November last year. Pictured: Ms Whiteley with Storm, one of the
Bentley was found to have a deep ‘funnel-shaped’ hole in his neck and was nursed back to health but collapsed suddenly and died last month from an infection
An infection caused when Bentley’s captors tried to remove his microchip had tragically spread to his brain.
Devastated owner Julie Whiteley said: ‘He fell ill and was dead within two days.
‘He stood up and wagged his tail at me then his body just went and his head hit the floor.
‘I’m just so heartbroken – he was a lovely little dog.’
CCTV footage of five men believed to have stolen 5 spaniels from the grounds of a remote farmhouse in West Yorkshire
One of the suspects was caught approaching the dogs’ beds before the poor spaniels were abducted
Mother-of-two Julie, who had five other dogs stolen from her remote farmhouse home near Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, is now offering a reward for their safe return.
One of the dogs – two-year-old bitch Cilla – is already safe at home with Julie after being found wandering just two streets away from where Bentley was found.
Cilla had a similar gash in her neck where her captors had tried to remove her microchip but is now fully recovered.
Julie has handed CCTV footage of five men she believes stole the dogs in the grounds of her home just after midnight on November 2.
Bijou the cocker spaniel is still one of several dogs still missing. Crufts dog show veteran Julie believes whoever stole the dogs knew they were there
The missing dogs are blue roan bitch Carol, aged 3, red bitch Fudge, aged 5, orange rune bitch Bijou, aged 3 and red male Storm, aged 2
Footage which is incorrectly time-stamped as 1.06am shows Bentley and Cilla in their pen looking up as two men enter and try to grab them.
All five men were caught on camera wandering around the grounds searching for a seventh dog which managed to run off during the heist.
Crufts dog show veteran Julie believes whoever stole the dogs knew they were there.
Spaniel Fudge with a litter of puppies is one of the pooches still missing
She said: ‘I’ve kept champion pedigree dogs for 40 years and never had a problem.
‘But you wouldn’t know I had the dogs and you couldn’t find my house even with a sat nav.
‘It’s like they knew there were seven and they kept searching for the seventh when she ran off.
‘I feel for anyone who has had a dog stolen.
‘These are all show dogs but money doesn’t come into it – my dogs are my life.
‘I’m so worried about the other dogs – if they are willing to do that then what are they doing to the others?
‘I just have to find them – it’s been so long and I’ve heard about people using them for breeding and not looking after them.
‘I wonder if they are dead – it’s killing me.’
Julie is offering a £5,000 reward for information which will help reunite her with the dogs.
They are a blue roan bitch Carol, aged 3, red bitch Fudge, aged 5, orange rune bitch Bijou, aged 3 and red male Storm, aged 2.
Should my dog be microchipped?
The small devices contain data of the dog’s owners, making it easier for them to be reunited
It is now a criminal offence not to have your dog microchipped in England and wales after it reaches over the age of eight weeks.
The small devices contain data of the dog’s owners, making it easier for them to be reunited.
If a dog is not microchipped after reaching eight-weeks-old, owners could be liable to pay a £500 fine and face criminal prosecution.
Should you contact details change and you do not update your details on the database, you are also liable to pay the £500 fine.
Dogs are only exempt from the microchipping if a vet certifies in writing that they cannot be for health reasons.
Dog breeders too must abide by the new laws and are required to microchip their puppies before the point of sale.
You can arrange for your local vet to microchip your dog, prices will vary however they’ll usually charge around £15.