A French Bulldog who was stolen while pregnant from her Devon home 225 miles away has been found in Greater Manchester.
Two-year-old French Bulldog Maggie was sadly taken from an address in Bradninch in Devon on Thursday 13 May, while she was heavily pregnant – but following information from the public, Greater Manchester Police managed to discover that the dog was being kept at an address in Partington.
Maggie was found by officers from the Trafford West Neighbourhood Policing Team at the Partington address on Saturday.
She was in mid-labour when she was found by officers.
All of the dogs were safely recovered and taken into veterinary care, with Greater Manchester Police confirming that they are all doing well and will be reunited with their owners very shortly.
ADVERTISEMENT
Four people have been arrested and released pending further inquiries.
A 28 year old woman has been arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods, and a 33 year old man has also been arrested on suspicion of theft, but both have been released under investigation.
ADVERTISEMENT
Maggie was found by officers from the Trafford West Neighbourhood Policing Team in Partington on Saturday / Credit: GMP / Devon & Cornwall Police
Inspector Jon Ezard from GMP’s Trafford West Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “This is a fantastic result with a happy ending for Maggie.”
He added: “Maggie and her pups will be reunited with their owner shortly, and I’d like to thank our partners at Devon and Cornwall police for their assistance, as well as the public for working with us to track them down.”
Inspector Ezard also admitted that “French Bulldogs are an extremely popular breed”, which comes after they were recently revealed as the most popular dog bought during lockdown.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The price of buying a dog has increased, but dog theft isn’t about money for victims, they are losing a member of the family [so] hopefully this will send a strong message that GMP will not tolerate this kind of criminality, and anyone who commits this kind of crime, will be brought to justice.”
Greater Manchester Police said it encourages anyone with any information – whether that is seeing some suspicious activity relating to dogs, or attempted thefts – to report it by calling 101.
“The information passed to us is looked into and taken seriously.” Inspector Ezard added.
The force also reiterated some helpful advice provided by leading UK charity Dogs Trust on how to keep your pet safe:
Many dogs are taken from homes and gardens every year, so making sure both are secure is a priority for dog owners and ideally, a dog shouldn’t be left on their own in the garden.
Never leave your dog unattended when you’re out and about and always keep them in sight.
Make sure they are trained to come back to you, however distracted they might be.
Ensure your dog is microchipped as having your dog microchipped, and keeping your contact details up to date, gives you the best chance of having your dog returned to you if the worst happens.
Walk in well-lit areas, vary your routes, and be aware of your surroundings.
You can also find more information about protecting your dog from theft via the Greater Manchester Police website here.
Featured Image – GMP / Devon & Cornwall Police
UK News
King Charles III’s annual income to increase by more than 50% as crown estate revenue rises
Danny Jones
King Charles III’s annual income is reportedly set to increase by more than 50% after the total revenue of the official crown estate rose significantly over the last 12 months.
Posting record-breaking profits since King Charles was coronated back in May, raking in a total of £1.1 billion for the 2023/24 financial year, the crown’s budget is now being adjusted, with a review set for 2026/27.
As per the official royal accounts published this week, the sovereign grant which helps fund members of the royal family and their civic duties is set to rise from £86m this year to £132m in 2025/26, meaning the King is set for a whopping £45m (approx. 53%) pay rise.
The royals currently receive 12% of the crown estate’s overall profits and as the majority of Britain continues to struggle with a cost of living crisis, it’s also the details surrounding last year’s outgoings and overall expenditure that have proved tough reading for many.
It makes no sense that profits from renewable energy projects are funnelled out of poor coastal communities to fund the refurbishment of Buckingham Palace.
Wealth from our natural resources should be invested in our people and communities. https://t.co/D4ZzzFiffk
In addition to roughly £600,000 of the sovereign grant being spent on the King’s coronation and other related events last year, the monarchy’s accounts also revised the £369m set aside for renovations in and around Buckingham Palace, let alone other royal residences.
According to The Guardian, “Royal accounts also show that the Prince of Wales received £23.6m income from the Duchy of Cornwall in his first full year after inheriting the land and property-owning estate from his father.”
Frogmore Cottage, located on the Windsor estate, saw a £2.4m refurbishment on behalf of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as well but has remained empty for more than a year – though the costs have reportedly since been returned to the public purse.
Perhaps one of the toughest/most frivolous to swallow for the taxpayer, though, is the revelation regarding the two new helicopters. Set to replace the existing aircraft used by the royals for the last 15 years, the two new AgustaWestland AW139s are said to cost £8m a pop.
Making 170 journeys last year and costing a total of £1,096,300, the monarchy’s travel bill rose from £3.9m to £4.2m all-told, with the official royal train remaining the most expensive per mile.
Elsewhere, in the King’s Speech (written for him) following Labour’s landslide updating of the Conservative Party after 14 years, Charles said: “Stability will be the cornerstone of my Government’s economic policy and every decision will be consistent with its fiscal rules…
“Securing economic growth will be a fundamental mission. My Government will seek a new partnership with both business and working people and help the country move on from the recent cost of living challenges by prioritising wealth creation for all communities.”
While the crown and government have reiterated the aim of “rising living standards”, many Brits will understandably struggle to take these words as sincerely as others, with urgent action needed to support some of the poorest regions across the nation.
Ex-Salford rugby player and Andy’s Man Club co-founder receives special honour from University of Bradford
Danny Jones
Ex-Salford rugby player, motivational speaker and health coach Luke Ambler has been given a special honour for his work with the men’s mental health organisation, Andy’s Man Club.
The former rugby league athlete and Ireland international – whose career started out at Salford City Reds before moving on to Leeds Rhinos, York, Harlequins and Halifax – set up Andy’s Man Club in 2016 after the loss of his brother to suicide, with the vital support group and charity growing massively since then.
Now hosting more than 4,500 men at over 190 different regional support groups across the country every week, including several here in Greater Manchester – one over at Etihad being the most recent – the non-profit has become a vital resource for men in the UK and only keeps spreading further.
To share this day with my beautiful family, mother in law and Sabrina our General Manager and all those who were graduating was a pleasure and a day I’ll remember for years to come.
As reported by The Hoot, Ambler received an outstanding contribution award from Bradford Uni on Tuesday, 16 July, being presented with the accolade during their ongoing summer graduation.
In typically humble fashion, he dedicated the honour to everyone but himself: “To all my team; my parents, my kids, my family, friends, staff and volunteers thank you – none of us do it alone.
“Thank you also to all of you who have supported us and continue to do so thank you.”
Speaking to the BBC, he went on to add: “It’s amazing to look back on how far it has come… I don’t want to put a limit on it – we really want to help more men and find out why people get into such dark places.”
Male mental health continues to be a hugely overlooked and pressing issue and the impact of organisations like Luke’s cannot be overstated, having not only provided an all-important outlet but also raised huge funds and awareness for the cause.
Meeting every Monday at 7pm, Andy’s Man Club is all about creating a safe space for men to open up about the storms affecting their lives in a safe, judgement-free and non-clinical environment. You can find your nearest location HERE.
Well done from all of us at The Manc Group, Luke. You can watch the presentation and his acceptance speech in full down below.
#ITSOKAYTOTALK
What a lovely way to honour the Andy’s Man Club co-creator.