“They only came for the dogs”: in Finistère, this desperate owner after the theft of his two English setters

“Look, we see the footprints, they went through the back of the property,” assures this 76-year-old from Finistère, putting his words into action, indicating the passage of the thieves to the police who came, this Saturday, November 30, 2024 afternoon, make the first observations.

During the day on Friday, while he was away from his property, isolated in the town of Brasparts, his two hunting dogs, which were in an enclosure, were stolen. It was on his return, around 7:30 p.m., that the septuagenarian made the painful discovery. “I quickly understood that a disaster had happened. I discovered their empty kennel,” he sighs, deeply affected by this loss.

“I have no illusions but…”

Hunter for almost fifty years – “but I only kill one woodcock per year, I mainly film and take photos of my English setters” – Marcel

estimates that he has known at least twenty different dogs, whom he picks up at just a few months old and trains himself. This is the case for Tex and Tacos, his two English setters.

The first, aged four, can be recognized by the brown spot around his left eye and his two brown ears. “He became amazing this year,” his master introduces him. The second, younger, is only two years old. Its head is completely black on the left side and speckled on the other side, with two black ears. “Look how beautiful he is, his head held high, his hindquarters well down,” describes the owner with great emotion, with supporting photo.

More than 3,000 euros per animal

The value of these dogs, well behaved and trained for hunting, is estimated at more than 3,000 euros per animal. “That’s not what matters,” breathes the Center-Finisterian. It's the relationship I had with them, the love between them and me. » Disappointed, he confides “not having any illusions but wanting to put all the chances on his side to find them”.

For the septuagenarian, there is no doubt: the thieves were informed of the presence of these hunting dogs. “They knew what to look for. Besides, nothing else was forced. They only came for the dogs and went over the two meter fence to retrieve them. » A complaint was filed with the Châteaulin gendarmerie company.