Millie was nabbed from its owner at the Jack In the Box
In recent months, stolen pets and bizarre pet theft incidents have stirred up communities on both sides of the San Diego and Tijuana border. Local internet groups and social media platforms are buzzing with reports of missing animals — ranging from turtles to dogs and even horses — raising concerns over pet theft, bizarre criminal encounters, and scams targeting pet owners desperate to get their beloved companions back.
Over the recent weekend, A. Gonzalez from Facebook captured a concerning encounter on video in Ocean Beach, where she spotted a man suspiciously “walking car per car, checking door handles.” In her post, she shared that she had confronted him: “I knocked him down after he tried grabbing my dog!”
Six large turtles were stolen from the Good Vibrations Sanctuary on September 27.
In another instance, horse trainers across San Diego County shared missing posters for a 15-year-old horse named Cash, who disappeared from Prescott, Arizona, and is said to be in the San Diego or Oceanside area. Cash, a red dun gelding with distinct white markings, has rallied the equestrian community in hopes of a safe return.
South of the border in Tijuana, someone reportedly driving a blue Chevy Tahoe stole a small pug-chihuahua mix named Percy. Percy’s owner shared that he has a curled tail with a black spot and a small dangling finger on his hind leg, a distinct feature that makes him recognizable. Other reports of stolen pets across Tijuana have surfaced on the Perritos Perdidos en Tijuana (Lost Doggies in Tijuana) Facebook page recently, with certain breeds commanding high prices on both sides of the border.
In Tijuana someone reportedly driving a blue Chevy Tahoe stole a small pug-chihuahua mix named Percy.
Meanwhile, back in San Diego, Kensington neighbor Mindi Davis took to the NextDoor app to share that six large turtles were stolen from the Good Vibrations Sanctuary on September 27. Some nearby dwellers speculated that animal activists might have taken the turtles, while another suggested the turtles could have been stolen for culinary purposes.
Around the time the turtles were stolen, Millie, a small black-colored dog, was nabbed from its owner at the Jack In the Box in Little Italy on Pacific Highway. The owner offered a reward of $2500 on the Reddit app.
The rise in stolen pets has opened the door to a new scam. As some thieves and scammers prey on vulnerable pet owners by offering rewards, the scammers may lure owners into meeting in unsafe locations to steal the reward money or threaten to harm the pet unless a ransom is wired.
Jeanette M., who lives just west of where the turtles were stolen, reported a frightening encounter in City Heights last April. She warned neighbors about a bald Hispanic man who was about 6 foot tall and weighed between 180-200 lbs. who chased her, attempting to snatch her French Bulldog. “I was able to get away, and cops were called,” she shared.
Since 2021, French Bulldogs have become a top target for dognappers, especially after Lady Gaga’s two Frenchies were stolen in a violent incident where her dog walker was shot.
According to the Dogster website, around 10 million pets go missing or are stolen across the U.S. each year.
In San Diego, turtle thefts are rare; however, last year, an older man was reportedly caught trying to steal a tortoise from an exhibit hosted by the San Diego Turtle and Tortoise Society in Balboa Park, prompting a call to the police.
P.S. On October 4, Mindi Davis provided us with a hopeful update on the stolen turtles in Kensington: two of the six missing turtles had been returned to the sanctuary. “Thank you to the person who had a change of heart,” she wrote.