Southeast Kent — Tonbridge & Malling "Walk 4 Life"
Join our Sponsored Dog Walks in Tonbridge & Malling to raise money for stray dogs around the borough.
Starting at 11am in the following locations:
- 7 May — Haysden Country Park, Tonbridge
- 18 June — Potters Mead, Borough Green
- 23 July — Nevill Park, Snodland
- 6 August — Tonbridge Farm Sportsground
- 20 August — New Road Recreation Ground, East Malling
Contact the Dog Warden for more information on 01732 876147 or email dog.warden@tmbc.gov.uk
Click here to download a poster for these events (PDF format)
Owner's Blackmail Anguish
Kent Police working in collaboration with DogLost has had success in a custodial sentence being issued for a dog theft and blackmail demand for £10,000.
In December 2008, Scamp, a small terrier cross escaped whilst having a bath while his Slough based owner was staying with relatives in Folkestone, Kent.
After contacting DogLost, Scamp's owner was advised to get as many posters out around the area as possible. Days later she started receiving phone calls from a woman who stated she had Scamp and asked if there was a reward.
Up to 25 harrowing calls followed over the Christmas period resulting in Scamp's owner Melanie and her young children becoming especially distressed as the calls became even more threatening on Christmas Eve.
When they should have been preparing for a happy family Christmas, instead they were asked by the thief, "how much do you love your dog?" and, "How much are you prepared to pay to get him back?"
The calls continued throughout the night, over Christmas Day culminating at 2am on Boxing Day with a demand that Melanie had to pay £10,000 to get her dog back.
DogLost coordinators who audibly witnessed the calls and were on hand to speak to Melanie throughout the day and night were able to reassure her that the situation had changed from a missing dog to a ransom which required police involvement.
As Melanie made a call during the night to the police call centre, the thief rang back on her mobile phone, a call which was recorded by the police listening on the landline and realising that the £10,000 demand was serious, they took action.
In an amazing "sting", Melanie was able to stall the thief for time by pretending she needed to find the money from an ATM and borrow a car.
Having returned to Slough she liaised with Folkestone Police CID who then followed through with a meeting outside the railway station in the dead of the night. Telephone contact was maintained with the owner at all times, whilst an undercover officer pretended to be Melanie and waited for the thief to arrive for the exchange of Scamp for money.
Sure enough, Maria Louka and her accomplice were lying in wait with an offensive weapon in her pocket along with Scamp. Demanding the £10,000 from the undercover police officer, both were arrested and Scamp was taken to safety having clearly not been looked after during his ordeal.
Police confirmed the matter would be taken to court and that DogLost co-ordinators would be called as witnesses. Since 2008 the court attempted to prosecute, but the demands for psychiatric evaluations of one party led to repeated postponing of the case.
Finally, in February 2010, Maria Louka suddenly changed her plea to guilty and was remanded in custody pending sentencing. DogLost was in court to hear the sentence being handed down on Thursday 29 April.
The judge stated in his summing up that despite the medical reports provided to him, Maria Louka knew what she was doing. He said that she had clearly asked questions about what road the owner was using to meet her in and took scissors as a form of weapon to reinforce her actions.
When arrested she further lied about being pregnant. The judge then went on to say that he had "no doubt that what the thief did was a very serious matter, an ugly and serious offence, which caused distress to the owner," and that having considered all reports he was "satisfied that the appropriate sentence was a custodial one."
Maria Louka received a sentence of 21 months for blackmail, 12 months for the theft of a dog and 12 months for carrying an offensive weapon, all to run concurrently less time in remand. Half the sentence must be served in prison.
DogLost is delighted at the outcome of this case which was one of the most harrowing cases where an owner has had to be supported. It is felt that this sentence shows that because of the determined actions of Kent Police which actively worked in conjunction with DogLost to apprehend the thief and to take the case to court, the message that dog theft cannot and will not be tolerated by the public or the authorities is even more greatly enforced.
Sadly, there is no happy ending for Scamp, for when he returned to Melanie and her family he was never the same dog and showed signs of brain problems, leading to repeated fits. On 6 January last year he suffered a large fit from which he never recovered. Melanie and her family, however, were determined that in his memory that Scamp’s ordeal should still be told and his thief brought to justice. DogLost would like to thank all those involved at Kent Police for their assistance in bringing this matter to a successful conclusion.
Court Profile of Billy Paul Sharp – 15 Nov 2010
Judge Caddick, presiding.
On 1 Sept 2010 the defendant, aged 26, pleaded guilty to blackmail and theft. At sentencing, his criminal record was read out, including a new offence committed since the date of the original crime: on 18 March 2009 Billy Sharp was arrested for possession of a bladed article, and despite pleading not guilty was found guilty on 8 October 2010. Sentencing for that offence was deferred until today's hearing. Previous offences included shop lifting, possession of Class A drugs, handling stolen goods, criminal damage & assault of a police officer and excess alcohol as well as offences relating to failure to comply with sentences and orders in relation to these offences.
A letter, not a medical report as requested in the original trial, was provided by the defence, from the Kent & Medway Mental Health team, that showed that the defendant suffers from Schizophrenia and that he does have frequent treatment for it. It was stated that he had not taken medication for this at the time of the offence. This condition has now stabilised and he is said to now be in a stable relationship with Maria Louka, with whom he lives. The defence suggested a suspended sentence and curfew may therefore be more appropriate to custody. It was stated that a previous six week spell on remand in custody for a withdrawn sexual offence arrest was traumatic for the defendant and that any further custody may therefore also be traumatic.
The offences today under consideration were blackmail, theft and the unrelated bladed article offence. Judge Caddick stated that the blackmail and bladed article offences crossed the custodial sentence threshold and he considered that, particularly in the case of blackmail that it was "a very mean and nasty offence which caused an enormous amount of distress to the lady concerned, not just because it was her dog but also how you (Sharp) went about it... you (Sharp) played your part although I accept that the main part was Louka and I bear in mind all reports... and appreciate that [the offences] have their root in your social background and mental health."
Judge Caddick also said he was bearing in mind that he had had a taste of prison which affected him and showed him what offending can and will lead to if he carries on offending, but he did indeed carry on offending.
The offences should carry a custodial sentence of between 18 and 21 months but Judge Caddick said he can and should take the unusual course of action of not sending him to prison now, but instead making an order taking into account the factors surrounding the offences.
A Community Order (not suspended) for a period of 12 months was imposed and was subject to a Supervision Order, in order to get Sharp's life "back on track," for each of the three offences, to run concurrently. The Supervision Order is also for a period of 12 months and includes the requirement to attend Probation Officer appointments as requested; to notify Probation Officers of any changes of address and quite sternly, Judge Caddick stated that if Sharp didn't comply with the Community & Supervision Order, then he would be brought back to court in front of only Judge Caddick and, whilst a Community Order could be extended to provide more onerous requirements of the sentence, he would not be looking at such an option and instead Sharp would be imprisoned for between 18 and 21 months for any such breach.
ALEX'S MARATHON RUN
At the end of September last year two little terriers, Gus and Smudge, disappeared whilst out walking with their owners in the countryside in Somerselt. The owners were distraught and desperate to find them. It was likely that they had gone down a hole as they are Jack Russells. Every day, the owners were out searching and calling down any holes. The husband made a listening device to put into the holse and eventually on the sixth day they heard a very faint whimper. Both dogs were dug out alive to a very tearful and happy reunion.
Due to the assistance their owners received from Doglost, Alex their owner is running the London Marathon on Sunday 25th April, in aid of DogLost.
Should you wish to support this cause you can do so by donating to the following Lloyds TSB account:
Sort Code: 30-95-37, Account No. 27779468, Account Name: "Alex's Marathon Run"
DOGLOST WINS AWARDS
Well done to Kent Co-ordinators for being presented with special commendations for assisting Kent Police with their investigations into dog theft.
Sherlock Bones, Chief Superintendent Matthew Nix and Calamity Jane
It is with great shock and sadness that the Doglost team learned of the sudden death of one of our most valued volunteers, Emma Peek. Emma has been known to the team for a number of years, and was always to be seen helping at shows in the South East where she promoting microchipping, carrying out chipping on dogs at the shows, and giving a donation for every dog chipped to Doglost.
Emma owned her own dog, and horses, and as well as helping Doglost, organised Kent Horsewatch alerting the public to equestrian crime throughout the county. She was passionate about animals and the Doglost team will sorely miss her involvement in their work. Our own abiding memories of Emma are of fun and laughter for whenever we met she would be laughing, joking and raising a smile amongst the team.
Thank you for your help and friendship, Emma, we will miss you terribly. Rainbow Bridge will be a brighter place with you there to look after those dogs who don't make it safely back home. Everyone at Doglost send their heartfelt sympathies to her family and are thinking of them at this very difficult time.
Emma's funeral is on Wednesday 8 April 2009 at 3.30pm at Falconwood Crematorium which is just past Eltham High Street. Friends & co-ordinators who knew Emma will be representing doglost.
Donations to either an animal charity or to a SADS charity called "Cardiac Risk In The Young" would be gratefully received. Please state sent in memory of Emma Peek.
DOGLOST NEW WEBSITE APPEAL
To keep the site going the current web site was launched but after many comments we appreciated that there were certain aspects which were greatly missed by you all. A new site is now being built, based closely on the old one, but re-developing DogLost's unique features will cost thousands, so we do need help with this expense.
We are therefore launching a fresh appeal to get this underway.
RAINBOW LOTTERY
Your chance to win up to £10,000 while you help us raise funds:
VOLUNTEER HELPERS REQUIRED
All you need to do to help reunite missing dogs with their owners is to go onto www.doglost.co.uk to check on Lost and Found dogs in your area. Register and Log in which will enable you to:
- print posters which you can display and distribute in your area
- put messages on the dog's page with any information, ideas or support you can give,
- follow the dog’s progress, reports of any sightings, etc. and keep an eye open for the dog.
You can also help owners by going out to look for their dog if you are able
If there are sightings of a dog, you may be given advice regarding helping with a feeding station to keep him in an area so that he can be caught and reunited with his family
However much or little you can do, your help will always be appreciated. Thank you.
Not got your dog Microchipped?
Scores of dogs go missing or are stolen every week.
Some simply take themselves off on a doggie adventure and return of their own accord later. Others are still missing, leaving behind heartbroken owners still searching for them, months and even years later. A chip and/or a tattoo could have brought them home.
Still need convincing?
You can no longer assume dogs will be collected by the local warden and taken to nearby kennels. The overwhelming number of dogs being abandoned means they have to be sent to whoever has room for them. How will the rescue in Newcastle know their new dog has an owner in Wales looking for it if it has no chip?
This dog was found abandoned near the location of a known thief: he must be someone's pet, but he has no chip! How will the warden find his onwer, by law they only have a minimum of 7 days? If no one comes forward, he may be lucky and be found a new home. Or he could be put to sleep! Think - this could be your dog - get a chip!
Need another one?
More than one dog a day is being stolen across the UK - from houses, gardens, kennels, cars and outside shops. Some are dumped and could find themselves in the same situation as the dog above. Others are sold on but could later be scanned by a vet, where their true identity is revealed and they are returned - against all odds...
This is Blue and her overjoyed owner. Blue was stolen more than a year ago, but managed to escape her captors. She was found by a vet, scanned and returned to her family. They had never given up searching for her and many a tear was shed at this waggy tail ending!
Microchipping and/or tattooing is an ESSENTIAL for ALL dog owners. www.doglost.co.uk has seen hundreds of owners reunited with their pets, against all odds, thanks to microchips.
It takes a few seconds and costs just a few pounds, but could save you a lifetime of heartache.
Please, get Microchipping!
Paws In The Park - 13th & 14th September 2008
Thanks to everyone that came over and helped us with our fund raising efforts which came to a great total of £296.00.
