A rash of dog thefts have been reported around the Ashville area.

Saturday morning, a purebred pitbull named Duggan was stolen from Nancy Woods’ home in Pinedale Shores.

Woods and her daughter, Caroline, have been working to rescue dogs from abusive situations, and even started their own canine rescue operation. Duggan was one of the dogs that Caroline rescued.

“I picked him up, and we nursed him back to health. He was in awful condition,” Caroline said. “People don’t really understand, they took my mother’s baby. They took my baby. I saved his life, and we may never see him again.”

A cream colored Ford Ranger was seen picking up the Woods’ and their neighbor’s dogs early Saturday morning, and others in the community reporting that a similar vehicle was seen taking dogs, as well.

The dogs that have been reported stolen have all been purebred dogs of high value, like pitbulls, rare white German shepherds, boxers and poodles. Some animals are also said to have been taken from the Moody area.  

Anyone with information about the thefts should contact their local law enforcement agencies.