4 competitive show dogs are stolen in Bellflower

A champion Akita headed for one of the country’s biggest invitational dog shows and three other competition dogs vanished Tuesday when the van they spent the night in was stolen from a Bellflower parking lot.

Trace, a 3-year-old male Akita slated to compete in the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Long Beach this weekend, along with a 10-month-old female Akita named Didi and two Pembroke Welsh Corgis -- Bunny, 2, and Peter, 1-- were discovered to be missing at 6:30 a.m. at the Motel 6 lot.

“These dogs are our family,” said David Peek, who owns Didi. His girlfriend, Kristina Rickard, is one of the owners of Trace. “They are not just pets. You pretty much stole our kids, so just give them back.”

Authorities were searching for the stolen cargo van, a white, 2006 Chevy Express with the California license plate 8D50252. The heavy-coated dogs had spent the cool night in the van -- a standard procedure, said Peek, who travels the show circuit with dogs.

Keeping the dogs indoors “would be kind of like a person wearing a coat in Arizona -- even with the air conditioning on,” Peek said.

It’s common for owners of competition dogs to travel to shows in RVs with their animals and stay on the site of the show. At the AKC show this weekend, many competitors -- and their people -- will stay in RVs parked on site at the Long Beach Convention Center.

Peek and Rickard -- who live in Redding, Calif. -- often stay in motels and park their van right outside their motel window, running an extension cord to a fan they put in the van to cool the dogs even more.

“We weren’t able to do that at this site,” Peek said. “But it was so cool last night it didn’t matter.”

Peek said they cracked the windows about an inch for the dogs and locked the doors. The Akita, Trace, is registered in the weekend competition as a Grand Champion under the official name “Dream Hi's I Got My Game On.”

The other Akita, Didi, and the two Corgis -- whose owners are in Japan -- were expected to compete in other local competitions scheduled in the days before the AKC/Eukanuba show. Southern California is just one stop in a nearly month long tour, Peek said.

“They all travel a lot,” said Tamara Houser, who is accompanying the owners and the dogs. “They have more miles under their little toes that a lot of people do.”

The group also has a Boxer puppy, a Parson Russell terrier, and a Brittany with them. Those dogs slept in the motel Monday night.

Peek declined to put a price on Trace -- "he’s priceless" -- or the other dogs. He also said he doubted the dogs were targeted by a thief.

“Not a lot of people realize what the dogs are worth,” Peek said. “I think someone just saw a cargo van with people’s stuff in it.”

Peek said they will offer a reward to anyone who can lead them to the dogs.

Anyone with information is asked to call Los Angeles County sheriff’s Det. Ron Vande Vegte at the Lakewood sheriff’s station at (562) 925-0124. They can also call David Peek at (530) 917-6846 or Tamara Houser at (661) 860-3147.

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-- Carla Hall

Photos: Clockwise are Trace, Peter, Bunny and Didi. Credit: Tamara Houser

Comments

[Adopt, don't shop!]

This is what they get for breeding and cropping that Boxers ears. Karma.

[Alyssa]

If this van was equipped with OnStar, they should be able to find it.

[Jo Painter]

I have walked passed these vans with unattended dogs in Motel parking lots for years wondering why no one else thought that was a crazy idea. I could never imagine myself feeling safe about leaving my double coated long haired show dogs out of my site. I am so sorry the dogs had to be involved in what was likely done for the van. Let's hope they left the dogs go before they hit the border.

[kathryn]

Who leaves their dogs parked in a van outside the motel? This is Los Angeles not Mayberry.

And plenty of people in Southern California have coated breeds like Akitas that are perfectly fine INDOORS. Seems like they're just making excuses why they were so irresponsible and left show dogs outside in a van to be stolen.

[Patti M]

It makes NO sense that anyone would leave dogs that they supposedly care about (and seem to be worth money) alone in a van at night, in a low-rent motel parking lot. Why didn't one of the 3 people stay with the dogs? I hope whoever stole the van doesn't take the dogs and sell them for fighting or bait dogs.

[Astonished]

My guess is these thieves knew exactly what was in that van and stole it expressly for the dogs. How much does anyone want to bet that those dogs are on their way out of the country right now. The male Akita alone would bring thoussand on the breeder black market. Not to mention removing a good deal of the competition.

As for Adopt, don't shop's comments. . .where did you read about cropping boxer ears??????

[Jan]

Dirty rotten scoundrels who stole the van, & especially the dogs inside. But why beat these people up for staying in a cheap motel? Do you realize that some of the show people do this travel thousands of miles every year and cannot afford 5 star hotels. It's common practice to house the dogs in vans, MHomes etc. in parking lots. While not the best perhaps, it is sometimes necessary in some areas. And while we are at it, Karma? come on people! These folks are truly heartsick over the loss of the dogs, who btw are champions and have traveled 1,000's of miles in the van. I guess if they could afford a MHome they would have been in one with the dogs.
I pray the dogs are found safe and without problems, the perps prosecuted. The people who owned the van I send my prayers of hope and faith.
Please people, have a little compassion for your fellow humans.
Everyone in the area, keep a sharp eye out for these dogs, they may turn them loose.

[Jennifer]

I own Akitas and most breeders/show people leave them in the car,RV's and vans cause there not use to bing in doors. Most of these Akitas are out side dogs cause it makes there coats better for when you show them. The thing I dont understand why would you tell everyone how much they are worth if they want them back I wouldnt. I do think it could be someone they know and these people or person knows how much the dogs are worth. Even if they sell them they wont have any papers on them so what would they do with them? This worries me LOTS and I feel for them I do but I would have never left my dogs out there and to me it looks like they were up stairs in a room. I only pray for these dog to be found safe and sound and so they can go back to there owners. as for Adopt,don't shop! Why would you say that? Thats a very mean thing to say to someone. Also you must not know anything about showing or breeding Boxers ears can be cropp and you want them this was if you show them. Maybe you should read up on somethings before leaving Comments like that.

[Michele Madau]

You guys dont deserve to own animals, maybe some rich benefactor should just give you some money and make you go away. This whole scheme smells like the 'boy in the air balloon bubble'. Who would know to target your dogs and why if they where worth so much would you choose a Motel 6 in the hood housed by crack addicts? Wow every hood rat wants a pembromke welsh dog renounded for their fighting abilities, when the dust settles you will be known as frauds and wasting the medias time for sure!

[Deeanna]

Happily all four have now been found safe and sound :)

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Deeanna