Dog stolen from firefighter's yard: 'Meathead ... was my kid'
EUGENE, Ore. -- Firefighter Larry Merrill came home from work early Tuesday morning to find that his beloved dog Bandit -- whom Larry had nicknamed "Meathead" -- was missing from the back yard.
After a thorough inspection of the yard Merrill could find no evidence that his 3 and a half-year-old English Bulldog had made a daring escape. That lead Larry to the conclusion that someone took Meathead from his yard during his overnight shift.
Since Tuesday, Merrill has filed a report with Eugene Police, posted hundreds of fliers and searched thousands of Craigslist ads, all in the hopes that Meathead can be returned safely.
"I am assuming that someone thought they could take him and maybe get rid of him," said Merrill. "I've been searching Craigslist from Seattle to California."
While he suspects that the dog-napper might have taken the pooch to make a profit, Larry said that there is no monetary value that can be put on a family member.
"My kid has one week with me and one week with his mom. And when he is with his mom that week Meathead, or Bandit was my … was my kid." said Merrill.
Another reason for why Merrill is desperate to find his dog is because Meathead has been missing the medication he was prescribed to take daily. Merrill said that without it he will need to be in a veterinary clinic soon.
Meathead's puppy companion, Lily the Dachshund, is also heartbroken over his disappearance.
However there is still one more family member about the incident. Larry has to break the news to his son when he picks him up for their time together, something he said will be no walk in the park.
"Yeah, he will find out tonight," said Merrill. "I'll talk to him when the time is right."
Merrill said that if the person who took Meathead can bring him back with no questions asked. He just wants his dog to come home.
Why do people have to be sooo mean. They are members of our family. Would they like it if someone stole their child??
This comment has been deleted
Nothing wrong with that. The mutt looks pretty ugy AND cute at the same time, so I think it is a good name. I sure hope he gets his mutt back; like Candy said, it is like losing your kid.
He is soooooooooooooooo cute. I hope he comes home soon.
How sad! I hope Larry and Meathead are reunited soon. My friends in Eugene had their pitbull stolen from their yard years ago. Dogs are not just property, they're like your kids!
Aww I wonder if this is what happened to our Peanut (Chiuahaha) 2-3 months ago. She was 9 and my mom let her our to go to the bathroom with her mastiff friend Lexi and only Lexi came back. Peanut was not known to wander and if another animal or something would of attacked her then we would of heard her cries for help along with Lexi. Everyday without Peanut sucks, I freaking miss her. She lived in Canby! HMP. I hope this dog is found. It's not fun losing part of your family!!
Is he saying he would leave his 3.5 year old kid unattended in the yard for hours?
 @Portlander29 Well, how many dog years per human year? I think it is six or seven ... do the math: 21 to 24.5 years. Probably old enough to be outside.
 @Cindy B.  @Portlander29 Had the same thought, lol. Hope your Christmas brightens and  you find your dog, Larry.
 @Portlander29 No, you imbecile - he's not saying that. He's saying that he has feelings of love for his dog similar to that of for a child, and that when his son is away visiting his mother, Bandit sort of fills the void. Love is love; it doesn't need to be examined under a semantic microscope.
 @gofigure  @Portlander29 Personally having raised Bulldogs in the past...they should never be outside alone, but that is MY opinion. I don't think any dog should be left outside unless they are a working dog and that is their job. That being said, he probably has an area setup so they can potty when needed and so forth. Long absences from home can be problematic when you have pets. I would suggest a locked area with a doggie door and a secure run for anyone in that situation. I feel for the guy.
@Portlander29 How did you get that from what was written???? I swear...people :(
@fracas Because meathead was like Larry's kid. Therefore Larry would leave his kid outside for hours.
 @fracas Another example of the speed of light being faster than the speed of sound...some people appear bright until they open their mouths and speak.
Dogs are not humans.....some people dont know that./
 @sortbait To most animal lovers, their pets are their children.  When my 22, 18, 14 and 12 year old cats died, respectively, I was absolutely devastated! Â
 @sortbait Well, duh. But dogs ARE wonderful companions, and are very easy to bond with for many people - so much so, that they become as members of the family. And given that they depend on their owners for food and shelter, much like children do, it's not difficult to find that some people think of them as a type of child to be looked after.
 @Mikey  @sortbait As the mother of 5 humans and currently 3 chihuahuas there are other advantages. I wouldn't trade my kids for anything but my furry kids don't talk back, ask for money, or roll their eyes while snottily saying "whatever". They think the sun and moon rises and falls with us. If we could only be half the people our dogs think we are we would have world peace. There is a reason we call them mans best friend.
@sortbait And your point? From some of the writers on this forum, I never once wonder why I appreciate and prefer animals over humans any day.
 @sortbait ~  Given some of the "antics" of humans, I'd say NOT being human is a heavy PLUS for the dogs...Â
I truly hope someone brings the poor guy home. These are great dogs...much like a lovey, overstuffed bean bag :) If he was a neutered male, he certainly wouldn't be worth as much as another one still intact. I hate to think about it, but I'm reminded of the other English bull taken a while back and found dead on the railroad tracks. I pray that this isn't what happens to him. I hope he's found soon :(
at first I thought his name was Methhead which seemed a bit odd.
@Solipsist01 lmao I thought I saw the same thing, thats why I even bothered looking at the article
 @franksbeans  @Solipsist01 That explains a lot, Franksbeans... LOL!
Nobody is going to sell your dog. Somebody "rescued" your dog because you leave it outside at night during the winter. Personally, I would have called animal control, and they could have talked with you to make sure meathead is safe in the cold.
@Riley35 People....please don't feed the trolls...!!!
@Maximus lol! Too bad the trolls ALWAYS have to make the victim out to be the bad guy.
Riley35,
I read the story twice, and could not find anything in it about leaving the dog outside at night in the cold. It might have had a small doghouse, or it might have a doggie door. You would call animal control to report an animal outside?
 That is interesting actually. If someone "rescued" his dog, and entered through a locked gate, then perhaps they need to be charged with trespassing. If someone "rescued" the dog like you imagine, then perhaps the police need to have a short talk with them! Until more is known or reported, the dog is missing and presumed stolen.
 @Riley35 Supposition unless you have information that the article doesn't mention.
@Riley35 I'm looking at the picture above and it is obvious to me the dog does not always live outside, I see what appears to be either laminate flooring or hardwood flooring under his bung hole, and a sofa or recliner in front of his face. Your comment is false.
 @Riley35 So using your logic, someone can steal your car if they don't feel like you're taking good care of it. News flash: most animals are naturally equipped to be outside in the cold - that's why they have fur. Just because you think it's inhumane doesn't make it so....
 @Ifishsum  @Riley35 Most dogs are NOT equipped to be left outside in the cold. Both bulldogs and doxies have thin hair. These are domesticated dogs, not wolves who have much thicker fur. But if someone doesn't like the way someone is treating the dog then either talk to the owner or call animal control. Don't steal the dog. He is probably very sad without his people.
@Ifishsum @Riley35 That dog doesn't have enough fur to keep it sufficiently warm unless it also has a well insulated doghouse & a large pile of blankets, maybe even a heat lamp or a dogdoor into the house.
@Ifishsum Yeah, I really didn't say that, imply that, or approve that logic. You didn't read my post did you?
@Riley35 Sure you did. You did'nt say it...but you implied it. Since you've only been a forum commenter for less than 24 hours...you might want to think about these things before you press "send"....
 @Riley35  @Ifishsum Ok, Riley.  How about this?  Someone "rescues" my child because they think I am not taking care of the child properly because the child is playing in the fenced backyard alone.  You're okay with that, right?
 @Riley35 This type of dog ranges in the neighborhood of $1500-$2500. The thief could sell it or breed it and sell puppies without papers for 200-500 dollars easily.
Â
How do you know the owner didn't have a dog house and blanket for the dog to keep warm? Only the owner and the thief would know that...
 @str1ngb3nd3r  @Riley35 They bring that kind of money unaltered and with papers. I don't know if he has been fixed but he certainly didn't have his papers on him. But I will say that neither of those breed should be left outside all night. But that doesn't give anyone the right to steal him.I hope this man gets his dog back and keeps him inside from then on. The doxie should not be left out either.
Â
 @Candy Manns  @str1ngb3nd3r  @Riley35 That breed shouldn't be left out at all in cold or hot weather unsupervised. They have no body fat for insulation , very short hair and breathing issues under stress.
@str1ngb3nd3r How do you know the dog didn't spend all night howling and barking because he was left alone?
 @Riley35  You're really dumb and heartless.