PRIZE-WINNING dog breeder Ken Sinclair has been left fearing for his animals' safety after thieves stole three Tibetan terriers in a dawn raid.
Ken, 59, who lives on the outskirts of Newent, has been breeding the terriers for 40 years and has never before been the victim of such a crime.
He woke on Thursday morning to find three of his 25 dogs gone, as well as a cabinet full of canine medicines, including syringes, emptied.
He said: "I came down at 8am to feed the dogs and three were missing, that was the first I knew of it.
"I've been so paranoid since then, every bang or knock the next night and I was up immediately, checking on them."
Ken has won best in breed at Crufts in years gone by and devotes his life to his dogs.
"The dogs are my kids," he said.
"I think it must have been pre-meditated because you wouldn't know I had the dogs from the road outside.
"If they had gone to the next kennel along, where there are more dogs, they would have made a hell of a noise, so I think they knew what they were doing.
"But I don't know what they'll do with them, I've got all the pedigrees here so without that the dogs are probably worth only about £100.
"I'm gutted and I just hope they're being looked after. The black and white has a bit of a reputation with other dogs and if the three of them are locked together in a garden shed somewhere it will be a bloodbath."
He is offering a "substantial" reward for the dogs' safe return. Two of them are seven months old and a rare colour for the breed – gold and white – while the third is a 12-month-old black and white bitch.
Police confirmed they had attended the scene are investigating the crime. Anyone with information should call 101 quoting incident 110 of July 11 or Ken direct on 01531 822384.
