The All Saints' Day weekend was hectic for Denis Cocher, administrator of the Deux-Sèvres hunting federation. On the morning of November 2, 2024, he noticed the theft of five of the seven Norman artesian basset hounds that he raises in a kennel located on the outskirts of Aiffres, between Bas-Mairé and Pied-Blanc.
“The wooden cladding of their kennels was torn off, eight of my cubic meters of wood also disappeared and we found tire marks from two vehicles in the field adjoining my kennel”reports the hunter, who filed a complaint that same afternoon with the Frontenay-Rohan-Rohan gendarmerie.
I don't understand how dogs can be stolen and released in the Mendès France area, where they could have been crushed.
Denis Cocher, Owner of seven hunting dogs Aiffres
In the evening, his daughter, Emeline, published a message on social networks, on the lookout for any possible information. Widely relayed by Internet users, has the call for help aroused fear or remorse among the thieves? The fact remains that two hours later, two local residents telephoned the owner, informing him that they had found a dog on Avenue de Paris, in Niort.
The purchase price of a Basset Artesian Normandy is between five hundred and eight hundred euros.
© (Photo NR, Camille Montagnon)
Two other basset hounds will be identified in the Mendès France area the next morning, this time by hunters. “One of my dogs joined them while they were hunting, detailed his master. She was probably attracted by the sound of the guns. »
His relief will not be complete until midday, after two puppies named Urbain and Una, the last missing, were seen in the commercial area of Avenue de Limoges.
“They could have been crushed”
As soon as their owner's utility vehicle is parked in the Biosphere-Énergie parking lot, the two puppies rush to jump into its trunk, to find their peers there. “They are hunting dogs, they are not used to living in the city, comments Denis Cocher. I don't understand how dogs can be stolen and released in the Mendès France area, where they could have been crushed. »
The ongoing gendarmerie investigation should make it possible to lift the veil on the ins and outs of this theft. Waiting for, “All’s well that ends well”rejoices the Deux-Sévrien, grateful to “social networks”and the outpouring of generosity they aroused.
