GSD Held for Ransom - Page 1

Just curious if anyone happened to see this on Foxnews.com regarding a GSD in Bogota, Columbia that was held for $350,000 ransom?   I apologize in advance for my cut and paste with an advertisement in there.  I'm obviously computer illiterate this am.

BOGOTA, Colombia  —  A kidnapped German Shepherd was returned to its elderly owners in Bogota Friday, three days after a police sting operation thwarted payment of a US$350,000 ransom.

The dog, named Aldo, had been left by his abductors at a veterinarian's office earlier this week and was identified on Friday, after the story of his kidnapping was published on the front page of the country's largest newspaper, El Tiempo.

Capt. Wilfredo Vasquez, spokesman for the police's elite "Gaula" anti-kidnapping unit, said the dog's owners refused to discuss the case, but described them as a wealthy, retired couple.

"They lived alone and loved the dog like it was a child," said Vasquez.

The four-year old purebred was taken hostage on Sept. 18, when abductors broke into the couple's house, subdued the dog with a tranquilizer, and lugged it away in a bag, Vasquez said.

Hours later, the captors called the couple to tell them that Aldo would be mutilated unless they forked over US$350,000. They also received photos of the pampered pup bound in chains, along with a tape recording of the warning, "This is how your dog cries at night."

When the couple went to pay part of the ransom at a rendezvous point, six undercover agents — trained to rescue people in Colombia, one of the world's kidnapping capitals — were lying in wait.

When the exchange took place a shootout erupted, wounding one of the agents and leading to the capture of two of the dog's abductors.

Aldo was dropped off at the vet's office later the same day, showing signs of starvation, Vasquez said.

People continue to reach new lows.  How very sad.

Thank goodness, they have their beloved family member back.

Truly terrifying.

It's really sad what some people will do for money!

Very sad. I hope the get the same treatment they gave the poor dog.

One of my dogs was kidnapped/stolen.  It was a horrible tine in my life.  He was never recovered, so the pain lingers, more than five years later.

http://video.aol.com/video/news-colombian-canine-kidnapping-ends-with-reunion/2005765

We had a great Dane pup stole out of a locked car. My Mom was grocery shopping (Safeway) and was in the checkout when she saw a Dane pup with the ears taped up, She thought to herself that it looked like our dog, then it dawned on her it was and people would not get out of her way, so she crawled over the check out counter screaming. Some guys in a truck chased him but he got away. We put out reward signs. She was gone for a week, I can not even begin to explain what she went thru, in your wildest dreams , you can not even wrap your mind around it. But she was mentally blown after that and it took weeks for my Mom to cox her 1 stair at a time with her water and food bowl to come down stairs. That was the last straw for my Mom, we got a PP Belguim T. Now living with that dog was beyond interesting, there was no room for error on our part.

1doggie2,

That's awful.  You're right, I cannot even imagine the pain, panic, feelings of loss, etc that you would feel if something like that were to happen. 

Bucko,

I can only imagine the whole you still have and the wondering you must still do about where he ended up and how he was or is being treated now.  Sorry for your loss.

Thanks.  I try not to think about that.

I did offer $1000 reward and spent $2000 on ads and pictures.  I also went on 61 trips to see dogs who kind people thought was him.  I gave up after four months.  I also lost my gf over this, as she shocked me in the middle of it by blaming me for not having a fence (he was kidnapped 200 feet down a down end lane from my house).