Murder probe... over dog found dumped in its owners' pool
Mystery: Staffordshire bull terrier Sasha was
found dead three days after disappearing from the garden of her
grief-stricken ownersMystery: Staffordshire bull terrier Sasha was found dead three days
after disappearing from the garden of her grief-stricken owners
Police have launched a full-scale murder investigation over the mystery death of a dog.Forensics teams have been drafted in and the swimming pool where the terrier was found dead is being treated as a murder scene.An
officer justified the unusual move by arguing that the impact of the
death was 'the same on the family as if it had been a person'.Six-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier Sasha vanished from her owners' 300ft back garden.Jacqueline
and Mike Curley and their daughters Colleen, 20, and Erin, 12, scoured
the whole neighbourhood, posting flyers and distributing leaflets in
their search for their pet.They also checked the pool at their home in Portsmouth, though it is raised 4ft above ground.But three days later Mrs Curley found Sasha lying face down in the blood-stained water.Pc Jamie Ironmonger, from Hampshire police, said: 'We are treating it as if it was a murder scene.'Dogs are a member of the family, not just a pet. The impact is the same on the family as if it had been a person.'The
owners are extremely upset and cannot believe that anybody could commit
such a horrendous act to a defenceless animal and much loved family pet.'We deal with horrible things all the time but something like this is an act of pure cruelty.'We
believe this was an isolated incident and a full investigation is
underway to find out who is responsible for this crime.' Toxicology tests are being made after a post-mortem found blood around Sasha's mouth but no visible injuries. Mrs Curley said: 'When Sasha disappeared, we checked the pool and pulled the two covers over it.'Three days later I woke up and opened the curtains and noticed the top cover had been moved.'I
thought it was strange but forgot about it until about 3pm when I was
taking the covers off with one of my friends so our kids could go for a
swim.'We pulled them back and I saw Sasha. She was face down and there was blood at the bottom of the pool.' Mr Curley, 48, said the incident has shocked his family and their other Staffordshire bull terrier, Sasha's daughter Shadow.He said: 'We had Sasha from when she was seven weeks old. She was more than a pet - she was part of the family.'We're all heartbroken but our daughter Erin is taking it very badly and has been sleeping with Sasha's lead under her pillow.'Shadow's heart-broken and lost without her mum.'Sasha was such a gentle and placid dog and wouldn't hurt a fly - to me it's murder and an act of pure evil.'There is no way Sasha fell in to the pool because Staffs can't jump very high - and we had already checked the pool.'Someone has taken our dog away and then come back and dumped her in the pool. It is a sick thing to do.' Daughter Colleen added: 'I'm disgusted. It's the lowest act I've ever heard of in my life, let alone seen.'
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R.I.P Scouse xx Saffron xx and Roxanne xx I will Never Walk Alone..Still Miss you all. 
