With at least 11 dogs missing on one six-mile long stretch of road just north of Moniteau County, dog owners might consider taking extra precautions. The road, Cooper County Route AA, covers a stretch from Route B just north of Tipton to Route H just north of Clarksburg. Both are Moniteau County towns.
Although the original tally of lost dogs was thought to total nine in less than six months, it turns out that there are at least two more if the time frame is extended back about a year.
What connects these missing animals, in addition to the short stretch of highway they are missing from, is that they were all purebred dogs.
None of the many mixed-breed dogs on the same stretch of road have gone missing.
Kasie Giannone said her English bulldog disappeared Sept. 11, about the same time another nearby resident lost two border collies. On the 20th of the same month, two Shih-Tzus disappeared from a house half a mile away.
On Dec. 8, Racy Way's Great Pyrennes and German shepherd did not return home. One of the dogs, the Great Pyrennes, was never known to go very far and was not a dog that took easily to strangers. It is also a very large dog which would have been hard to get in anything other than a truck or van.
Cooper County Sheriff Jerry Wolfe said his officers began investigating after an animal abuse report was made. It was then determined another dog was missing. The list of missing animals began to grow. The investigation is continuing, but since some of the animals disappeared months ago from an area where the population is sparse, it may be hard to figure out what really happened.
Wolfe said missing animals are the type of thing which are not usually reported to law enforcement. He also said some things can probably be ruled as far as what has happened to the dogs.
"From the information we have so far, the missing dogs are not the kinds which would be used in fighting circles," he said. "If they were killed by wild animals, you'd think they would have found some sign of them."
It is at least possible, since the reported missing animals have been purebred dogs, which would sell for high dollar amounts, they could have been taken for resale.
One purebred dog missing from a Moniteau County residence was reported found running loose in a town a dozen miles away. That dog had a identification microchip, leading some to think the animal was turned loose after the chip was discovered.
Wolfe hopes someone has seen something and will come forward with that information.
Anyone with information about the dogs missing from Cooper County, call the Cooper County Sheriff at 660-882-2771. For the Moniteau County Sheriff, call 573-796-2525.