Seventh and final dog recovered after dog walker's van taken in theft in Oldham

All of the dogs taken from a stolen van and dumped in the Oldham area have now been recovered thanks to the efforts of local volunteers and officers.

A van containing seven dogs as part of a dog walking business was stolen from Medlock Road, Failsworth, just after 11am on March 10. 

The van was seen to make off at speed and later dumped the dogs in the Alexandra Park area. The vehicle was later found abandoned. 

While the majority of the dogs were recovered soon after, one of the dogs remained missing. 

Over the last couple of days, volunteers including a retired Oldham neighbourhood officer, Huddersfield Canine Search & Rescue, and Oldham PCSOs have helped track the dog, with several sightings being reported by members of the public to police. 

Thankfully, the dog was found in an overgrown area yesterday (Friday), with the help of thermal imaging and the dog’s owner. 

Sergeant Zahid Iqbal, from GMP’s Oldham Neighbourhood Team, said: “The initial theft of the car containing the seven dogs was an incredibly upsetting incident for the pet owners, and one we are continuing to investigate. 

“I am glad that our local team have managed to work very effectively together with local volunteers and groups to find all of the dogs – it is definitely a positive result. 

“Of course, however, we are investigating the full circumstances  of the van theft and are undertaking multiple enquiries as part of this work.” 

Kirstie Hobson, from Huddersfield Canine Search & Rescue, said: “The feedback and comments on Facebook have been amazing. The local PCSOs have been supporting the searches throughout and by combining our efforts, we have thankfully now recovered the final missing dog. 

“The families of the dogs have been so resilient during such an awful situation and we were very happy to support wherever we could. It has been a real team effort from everyone from our group - including lots of work behind the scenes." 

As officers continue their enquiries into the theft of the van, they are asking for anyone with CCTV, dashcam, or doorbell footage from the area to please get in touch. 

You can contact police via 101 or the Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1133 of 10/03/26. 

Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.