Puppies stolen during event

On the night of Friday, October 30, to Saturday, October 31, 19 spitz and chihuahua puppies were stolen at the Parc des expositions de Poitiers in Vienne, France. The theft occurred between 1:30 am and 2 am, on the sidelines of the "Univers du chiot et du chaton" fair, which was scheduled to take place on October 31 and November 1.

Theft occurred before fair opened

The incident took place before the fair officially opened, and three breeders were affected by the thefts, according to the fair's organizer. A dozen puppies, including spitz and chihuahuas, were reportedly kidnapped by three criminals described as "hooded and armed with tear gas canisters."

Security alerted breeders in the morning

Security guards at the venue alerted the breeders in the morning of Saturday, October 31, to the incident. Kevin Blaison, the organizer of the event, stated that he had never seen anything like this in his 10 years of experience organizing approximately 380 fairs.

Organizer describes planned operation

He described the operation as planned and noted that animal trafficking is a highly profitable business. The breeders are in shock, as the theft involves living beings, and they expressed deep concern over the well-being of the stolen puppies.

Security reinforced for event days

Security has been reinforced for Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1, following the incident. The estimated value of the stolen animals is between 30,000 and 40,000 euros, highlighting the seriousness of the crime.

Concerns over puppies' safety

A relative of a breeder expressed concern over the conditions in which the puppies were taken, emphasizing that the animals are particularly vulnerable and their safety is an emergency. A police source confirmed that an intervention took place at the Parc des expositions de Poitiers regarding the incident, and a complaint is being considered by one of the affected breeding companies.