TASMANIA Police say there are no investigations currently running into dog fighting in the state, despite reports earlier this year that officers had joined forces with the RSPCA. The animal welfare organisation said it was continuing to receive calls ``on a regular basis'' about dogs being stolen to be used as bait dogs. ``That's a dog that's used as a warm up dog prior to the fight,'' RSPCA Tasmania chief executive Ben Sturges said. ``So, the dog is given to the fighting dog to basically attack, to warm it up ready for the fight.'' Devonport's Kate Seears has been searching for her two English staffies ever since they went missing from her backyard on October 14 last year. ``I'd like to think that they're in someone's backyard playing with little kids or something, and they're all nice, warm and safe but I'm worried they could have fallen into the hands of dog fighters,'' Ms Seears said. Those fears have been reinforced during the past eight months with continuous reports of other dogs going missing, particularly large dogs. ``Ever since the girls went missing, I've just been hearing story after story after story of lots and lots of dogs going missing from people's backyards around Devonport,'' she said. ``And where it's impossible for them to get out of their backyards, so someone's gone and jumped the fence and taken them. ``It's been the last six months that there have been a lot more dogs gone missing.'' Warnings have been circulating online about dogs being stolen in Tasmania. One involves a man calling owners of pitbull mixes late at night saying he is from the Australian Pitbull Association, but not leaving a return phone number. Another claims people are pretending to be garden maintenance workers, snooping in people's backyards. Mr Sturges called on members of the public to come forward and ``please tell us if they hear about any dog fighting going on in the state''. Ms Seears said she would continue searching for her dogs. ``I just want them home. I've reported it to police, I've put 5500 flyers out, had ads in the paper and I've got a $1000 reward out for them. ``They're part of my family. They are my children - I don't have kids, I have dogs. ``I'll keep searching for them. I'll never give up hope.''
TASMANIA Police say there are no investigations currently running into dog fighting in the state, despite reports earlier this year that officers had joined forces with the RSPCA.
The animal welfare organisation said it was continuing to receive calls ``on a regular basis'' about dogs being stolen to be used as bait dogs.
``That's a dog that's used as a warm up dog prior to the fight,'' RSPCA Tasmania chief executive Ben Sturges said.
``So, the dog is given to the fighting dog to basically attack, to warm it up ready for the fight.''
Devonport's Kate Seears has been searching for her two English staffies ever since they went missing from her backyard on October 14 last year.
``I'd like to think that they're in someone's backyard playing with little kids or something, and they're all nice, warm and safe but I'm worried they could have fallen into the hands of dog fighters,'' Ms Seears said.
Those fears have been reinforced during the past eight months with continuous reports of other dogs going missing, particularly large dogs.
``Ever since the girls went missing, I've just been hearing story after story after story of lots and lots of dogs going missing from people's backyards around Devonport,'' she said.
``And where it's impossible for them to get out of their backyards, so someone's gone and jumped the fence and taken them.
``It's been the last six months that there have been a lot more dogs gone missing.''
Warnings have been circulating online about dogs being stolen in Tasmania.
One involves a man calling owners of pitbull mixes late at night saying he is from the Australian Pitbull Association, but not leaving a return phone number.
Another claims people are pretending to be garden maintenance workers, snooping in people's backyards.
Mr Sturges called on members of the public to come forward and ``please tell us if they hear about any dog fighting going on in the state''.
Ms Seears said she would continue searching for her dogs.
``I just want them home. I've reported it to police, I've put 5500 flyers out, had ads in the paper and I've got a $1000 reward out for them.
``They're part of my family. They are my children - I don't have kids, I have dogs.
``I'll keep searching for them. I'll never give up hope.''
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