Fake animal control men try to take dogs

Fake animal control officers have been trying to spirit away pets as bait for dog fighting, police say.

Two men posing as council officers are singling out the owners of Staffordshire bull terriers and Rhodesian ridgebacks in Otaki, on the Kapiti coast, claiming they need to take the dogs away for microchipping.

Karaparira Winterburn's suspicions were aroused when she did not recognise the men who said they were animal control officers admitting she knew staff from previous run-ins. MORE>>