Three Girls in a Minivan Stole This Bear Canine

A household from Rural Retreat, Virginia, is providing a $1,000 reward for data on a lacking bear hound who was taken from the facet of the street by three ladies in a maroon van with Florida license plates on Saturday. Rocky Deel and his 11-year-old son Charlie had collected 5 of their six canines after an unsuccessful day of bear looking in Speedwell round Hale Lake once they realized the sixth canine, a “blue English” coonhound named Ringo, was nowhere to be discovered. Then they acquired a name from a household buddy and fellow hunter.

“He stated [Ringo] was out on Route 21,” Rocky tells Outside Life. “By the point we get down off the mountain and get to the place he was at, we will’t discover the canine however we’re nonetheless selecting up the sign from the collar. Nicely, we find yourself discovering the collar laying within the ditch.”

The hunter who had referred to as Rocky had truly spoken with the ladies on the facet of the street, who had sworn they’d drive Ringo into mobile phone service and name the Deels utilizing the quantity on Ringo’s collar. So the hunter drove away, leaving Ringo with the ladies. However Rocky by no means heard from them. Now, he and his household suspect the ladies thought they had been “saving” Ringo from a neglectful dwelling the place he was pressured to hunt.

In the meantime, the Deels are reeling—particularly Charlie.

“This simply broke his coronary heart,” Rocky says. “He loves the canines. He would assist me do the feeding, however now he’s telling me he can’t assist me feed with out Ringo being there. It simply didn’t really feel proper.” 

Bear looking with hounds is authorized in Virginia and different states. It’s typically controversial, nonetheless, and in Vermont, for instance, bear hounds and their homeowners have been attacked by anti-hunting activists previously. However Rocky says he’s by no means had any conflicts with anybody else over the observe. 

“Round right here, all people hunts. It’s a looking neighborhood,” Deel says. “And for essentially the most half you don’t have any hassle. We’ve by no means had any points with anybody. However [the other hunter] did say [the women] had been occurring about how they suppose looking is merciless, and that we make these canines hunt. So I don’t know in the event that they thought I used to be being merciless to the canine, however these canines are bred for this. You don’t make them hunt.”  

Absolutely these ladies didn’t think about the authorized implications of their actions. Stealing a canine in Virginia is a Class 5 felony, punishable by as much as 10 years in jail. Moreover, eradicating a GPS collar from a canine is a Class 1 misdemeanor, which may get them one other yr in jail or a $2,500 fantastic. Interference with lawful looking is a Class 3 misdemeanor, which could tack on an extra $500 fantastic.   

Learn Subsequent: Volunteer Firefighters Rescue a Pack of Bear Hounds from an Icy Hole within the Appalachians

The Deels made a Fb web page the place they’re accumulating data on Ringo’s whereabouts. They’ve additionally filed police stories, contacted regulation enforcement in a number of counties, and have reached out to each canine rescue and shelter within the space. 

“I’ve been out on daily basis from daylight to darkish trying to find him,” Rocky says. “That’s what I’m truly doing proper now. I’m simply looking for the van, or hoping they’d have let him out someplace. However with the reward, I’m hoping any individual will discuss eventually.”