Missing dog cases spike in northern NM

EYEWITNESS NEWS FOUR HAS LEARNED THAT DOGS ARE DISAPPEARING IN ONE PART OF NORTHERN NEW MEXI...  More »

EYEWITNESS NEWS FOUR HAS LEARNED THAT DOGS ARE DISAPPEARING IN ONE PART OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO PEOPLE THERE THINK IT'S THE WORK OF A DOG-NAPPER. JOE VIGIL WAS IN THE SPRINGER AREA TODAY AND IS LIVE IN OUR SANTA FE BUREAU WITH MORE ON THE MYSTERY. ANIMAL GROUPS SAYS FAMILY PETS ARE BEING SWIPED -- RIGHT OUT OF THEIR YARDS. SO WHO'S DOING IT AND WHY? OFFICIALS A HOPE A REWARD CAN HELP THEM FIGURE THAT OUT. PENNY JUMP WOULD BE CRUSHED IF SOMEONE SWIPED SALT, PEPPER OR PENELOPE. 'It would break my heart, break my heart. They're not my dogs. They're my kids they're my family.'BUT PENNY IS NOW KEEPING A VERY CLOSE EYE ON THE LITTLE ONES BECAUSE SOMEONE IS STEALING DOGS. AT LEAST SEVEN AROUND SPRINGER HAVE DISAPPEARED OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. BUDDY AND LOBO ARE BACK HOME--AND ARE ACTING LIKE DOGS DO. THEIR OWNER ROBERT PORTILLOS SAYS SOMEONE TOOK THEM IN DECEMBER. 'Terrible. You just become so attached to them. They're just like family.'PORTILLOS HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING FOR BUDDY AND LOBO. HE OFFERED A 500 DOLLAR REWARD FOR THEIR SAFE RETURN. HE THINKS WHOEVER SNATCHED THEM FELT THE HEAT AND SIMPLY LET THEM GO. 'Thank God we found them.' BUT OTHER DOGS HAVEN'T BEEN SO LUCKY. OFFICIALS WITH THE COLFAX PET RESCUE JUST WEST OF SPRINGER SAY SMALLER DOGS HAVE BEEN THE MAIN TARGET FOR THIEVES. THEY CAN'T SAY FOR SURE WHY THEY'RE BEING TAKEN. THE RESCUE GROUP ADOPTS OUT DOGS---BUT IS A LITTLE HESITANT ABOUT DOING THAT RIGHT NOW. 'We're concerned about adopting our dogs to Springer especially the little ones because we don't know what will happen to them.' RESIDENTS ARE BEING URGED TO MICROCHIP THEIR DOGS---AND TAKE A PICTURE OF THEM SO IT CAN BE PUT UP AROUND TOWN--JUST IN CASE THEY END UP MISSING. ANIMAL PROTECTION OF NEW MEXICO IS NOW OFFERING A 25- HUNDRED DOLLAR REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST AND PROSECUTION OF THE DOG-NAPPERS.. THE F-B-I SAYS THE FINAL MEMBER  « Less