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It’s been heartbreaking’: Pender County dog owners believe someone is stealing dogs in the community
Aug 23, 2025
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Melissa Williams, Megan Thirsten, and
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Melissa Williams, Megan Thirsten, and
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Melissa Williams, Megan Thirsten, and David E believe believe their stories
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David E believe believe their stories
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David E believe believe their stories are just too similar to be a
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are just too similar to be a
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are just too similar to be a coincidence.
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coincidence.
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coincidence. It's the same thing basically. William
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It's the same thing basically. William
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It's the same thing basically. William said the dog goes missing or is out for
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said the dog goes missing or is out for
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said the dog goes missing or is out for a minute and then the next thing they're
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a minute and then the next thing they're
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a minute and then the next thing they're gone. They're taken or something. We
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gone. They're taken or something. We
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gone. They're taken or something. We believe that they're taken because they
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believe that they're taken because they
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believe that they're taken because they would have come home. Please be sure to
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would have come home. Please be sure to
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would have come home. Please be sure to hit the like and subscribe buttons
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hit the like and subscribe buttons
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hit the like and subscribe buttons below. not to miss any of upcoming
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below. not to miss any of upcoming
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below. not to miss any of upcoming content. Williams's dog Kota, a pitm
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content. Williams's dog Kota, a pitm
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content. Williams's dog Kota, a pitm mix, got loose on the 4th of July and
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mix, got loose on the 4th of July and
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mix, got loose on the 4th of July and headed towards Highmith Road. By the
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headed towards Highmith Road. By the
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headed towards Highmith Road. By the time his owners got out there to look
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time his owners got out there to look
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time his owners got out there to look for him just minutes later, he was gone.
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for him just minutes later, he was gone.
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for him just minutes later, he was gone. She was told by a neighbor that they saw
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She was told by a neighbor that they saw
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She was told by a neighbor that they saw a black SUV stopped on the road near her
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a black SUV stopped on the road near her
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a black SUV stopped on the road near her house at that time. Williams believes
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house at that time. Williams believes
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house at that time. Williams believes it's possible the driver of that SUV
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it's possible the driver of that SUV
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it's possible the driver of that SUV took Kota.
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took Kota.
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took Kota. Williams filed a report with the Pender
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Williams filed a report with the Pender
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Williams filed a report with the Pender County Sheriff's Office and started
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County Sheriff's Office and started
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County Sheriff's Office and started posting Kota on social media sites to
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posting Kota on social media sites to
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posting Kota on social media sites to see if anyone had seen him.
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see if anyone had seen him.
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see if anyone had seen him. She soon learned through a Facebook
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She soon learned through a Facebook
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She soon learned through a Facebook group that her story wasn't rare. "There
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group that her story wasn't rare. "There
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group that her story wasn't rare. "There are a ton of dogs just within the 10
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are a ton of dogs just within the 10
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are a ton of dogs just within the 10 mile radius that are the same breed as
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mile radius that are the same breed as
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mile radius that are the same breed as Kota that have gone missing, and a lot
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Kota that have gone missing, and a lot
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Kota that have gone missing, and a lot of them have happened within the last
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of them have happened within the last
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of them have happened within the last few weeks," Williams said. Through that
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few weeks," Williams said. Through that
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few weeks," Williams said. Through that group, Williams found out about 12
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group, Williams found out about 12
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group, Williams found out about 12 missing pit mixes in Pender County.
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missing pit mixes in Pender County.
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missing pit mixes in Pender County. Williams also met more Pender County dog
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Williams also met more Pender County dog
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Williams also met more Pender County dog owners like Megan Thirsten and David
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owners like Megan Thirsten and David
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owners like Megan Thirsten and David Yap. Thirsten's dog, another Pitmix
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Yap. Thirsten's dog, another Pitmix
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Yap. Thirsten's dog, another Pitmix named Thor, went missing on July 28th.
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named Thor, went missing on July 28th.
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named Thor, went missing on July 28th. Anytime he got loose in the past, he
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Anytime he got loose in the past, he
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Anytime he got loose in the past, he would be gone for a couple of hours and
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would be gone for a couple of hours and
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would be gone for a couple of hours and come right back. Thirsten said, "So for
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come right back. Thirsten said, "So for
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come right back. Thirsten said, "So for him to be gone this long is abnormal."
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him to be gone this long is abnormal."
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him to be gone this long is abnormal." EP's dog, a Pitmix named Doy, went
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EP's dog, a Pitmix named Doy, went
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EP's dog, a Pitmix named Doy, went missing in January 2024.
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missing in January 2024.
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missing in January 2024. I heard her barking in the woods right
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I heard her barking in the woods right
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I heard her barking in the woods right near my house. And at any given time,
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near my house. And at any given time,
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near my house. And at any given time, all I was going to do was call her and
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all I was going to do was call her and
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all I was going to do was call her and she comes bounding back, Ape said. She
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she comes bounding back, Ape said. She
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she comes bounding back, Ape said. She barked two more times, and everything
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barked two more times, and everything
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barked two more times, and everything went silent, and that was the last I
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went silent, and that was the last I
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went silent, and that was the last I heard from her. I've taken her to the
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heard from her. I've taken her to the
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heard from her. I've taken her to the mountains and let her run, and all that
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mountains and let her run, and all that
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mountains and let her run, and all that I have to do is call her.
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I have to do is call her.
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I have to do is call her. She usually comes right back. He built a
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She usually comes right back. He built a
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She usually comes right back. He built a banner on a trailer showing Doy's
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banner on a trailer showing Doy's
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banner on a trailer showing Doy's picture and his contact information. He
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picture and his contact information. He
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picture and his contact information. He says he still finds himself looking for
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says he still finds himself looking for
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says he still finds himself looking for her even more than 500 days later.
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her even more than 500 days later.
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her even more than 500 days later. You can't leave the house without
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You can't leave the house without
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You can't leave the house without looking, and that's all I do, Gape said.
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looking, and that's all I do, Gape said.
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looking, and that's all I do, Gape said. I mean, I drove the first probably two
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I mean, I drove the first probably two
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I mean, I drove the first probably two months and put 12,000 miles on my truck
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months and put 12,000 miles on my truck
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months and put 12,000 miles on my truck driving in our area. Through their
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driving in our area. Through their
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driving in our area. Through their searches for their dogs, all three
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searches for their dogs, all three
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searches for their dogs, all three owners have heard the same theory time
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owners have heard the same theory time
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owners have heard the same theory time and time again. Someone stole the dog so
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and time again. Someone stole the dog so
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and time again. Someone stole the dog so they could be used in dog fighting.
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they could be used in dog fighting.
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they could be used in dog fighting. Almost every time I post, somebody is
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Almost every time I post, somebody is
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Almost every time I post, somebody is saying that there's dog fighting rings
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saying that there's dog fighting rings
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saying that there's dog fighting rings in the area, that all of the pitbulls
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in the area, that all of the pitbulls
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in the area, that all of the pitbulls are going missing in this area, and that
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are going missing in this area, and that
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are going missing in this area, and that somebody is up to some kind of foul
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somebody is up to some kind of foul
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somebody is up to some kind of foul play, Thirsten said. IP said every other
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play, Thirsten said. IP said every other
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play, Thirsten said. IP said every other person he talks to brings up the
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person he talks to brings up the
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person he talks to brings up the possibility. Back in 2016, a dog
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possibility. Back in 2016, a dog
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possibility. Back in 2016, a dog fighting operation that had ties to
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fighting operation that had ties to
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fighting operation that had ties to Pender County was broken up.
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Pender County was broken up.
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Pender County was broken up. At least half of the people that I have
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At least half of the people that I have
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At least half of the people that I have talked to, dog fighting always gets
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talked to, dog fighting always gets
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talked to, dog fighting always gets brought up. Ape said
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brought up. Ape said
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brought up. Ape said they say that our area, especially
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they say that our area, especially
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they say that our area, especially Curry, has always been bad for dog
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Curry, has always been bad for dog
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Curry, has always been bad for dog fighting. It's just an underground that
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fighting. It's just an underground that
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fighting. It's just an underground that nobody talks about. Nobody has details.
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nobody talks about. Nobody has details.
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nobody talks about. Nobody has details. All three described their dogs as loyal
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All three described their dogs as loyal
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All three described their dogs as loyal companions with sweet temperaments. to
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companions with sweet temperaments. to
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companions with sweet temperaments. to Thirsten. The idea of someone forcing
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Thirsten. The idea of someone forcing
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Thirsten. The idea of someone forcing her dog Thor to fight is especially
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her dog Thor to fight is especially
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her dog Thor to fight is especially distressing.
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distressing.
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distressing. Thor's not a fighter. Thirsten said he
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Thor's not a fighter. Thirsten said he
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Thor's not a fighter. Thirsten said he would not fight them. He's extremely
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would not fight them. He's extremely
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would not fight them. He's extremely sweet. So, they would literally throw
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sweet. So, they would literally throw
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sweet. So, they would literally throw him in the ring for his death. We
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him in the ring for his death. We
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him in the ring for his death. We reached out to the Pender County
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reached out to the Pender County
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reached out to the Pender County Sheriff's Office, who told us they've
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Sheriff's Office, who told us they've
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Sheriff's Office, who told us they've been looking into Williams dog, Koba's
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been looking into Williams dog, Koba's
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been looking into Williams dog, Koba's disappearance, but haven't tracked down
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disappearance, but haven't tracked down
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disappearance, but haven't tracked down any information yet. Thirstston and IP
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any information yet. Thirstston and IP
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any information yet. Thirstston and IP say they plan on filing reports for
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say they plan on filing reports for
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say they plan on filing reports for their own missing dog soon. He also
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their own missing dog soon. He also
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their own missing dog soon. He also reached out to Pender County Animal
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reached out to Pender County Animal
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reached out to Pender County Animal Control. Lieutenant Keith Ramsey told us
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Control. Lieutenant Keith Ramsey told us
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Control. Lieutenant Keith Ramsey told us he's also heard rumors and speculation
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he's also heard rumors and speculation
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he's also heard rumors and speculation about dog fighting rings in the area,
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about dog fighting rings in the area,
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about dog fighting rings in the area, but has never heard enough details to
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but has never heard enough details to
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but has never heard enough details to properly investigate them. Back in 2016,
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properly investigate them. Back in 2016,
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properly investigate them. Back in 2016, a dog fighting operation that had ties
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a dog fighting operation that had ties
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a dog fighting operation that had ties to Pender County was broken up. Thirsten
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to Pender County was broken up. Thirsten
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to Pender County was broken up. Thirsten is holding out hope that someone might
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is holding out hope that someone might
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is holding out hope that someone might have just taken Thor, thinking they were
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have just taken Thor, thinking they were
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have just taken Thor, thinking they were rescuing a stray. However, she says
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rescuing a stray. However, she says
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rescuing a stray. However, she says that's not what you should do. If you
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that's not what you should do. If you
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that's not what you should do. If you find a dog on the street, please post
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find a dog on the street, please post
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find a dog on the street, please post that you found it. Thirsten said, "Talk
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that you found it. Thirsten said, "Talk
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that you found it. Thirsten said, "Talk to the animal shelter, local vets,
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to the animal shelter, local vets,
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to the animal shelter, local vets, anything, because animal control says
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anything, because animal control says
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anything, because animal control says that so many people just think they're
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that so many people just think they're
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that so many people just think they're helping these dogs and they just pick
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helping these dogs and they just pick
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helping these dogs and they just pick them up and take them. And there are
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them up and take them. And there are
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them up and take them. And there are families at home that are missing them
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families at home that are missing them
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families at home that are missing them and wanting them just back home.
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and wanting them just back home.
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and wanting them just back home. At least five owners of Pitmixes in
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At least five owners of Pitmixes in
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At least five owners of Pitmixes in Pender County are now offering rewards
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Pender County are now offering rewards
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Pender County are now offering rewards for people who help them get their dogs
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for people who help them get their dogs
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for people who help them get their dogs back home. Williams has also committed
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back home. Williams has also committed
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back home. Williams has also committed to not pressing charges if someone who
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to not pressing charges if someone who
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to not pressing charges if someone who has taken Kota brings him back home.
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