Where did they go? More than 30 dogs vanish from Magic Valley

A Twin Falls Animal Shelter board member has compiled a list of 34 dogs that have reportedly gone missing in the Magic Valley area since Feb. 1, some from fenced home yards and locked areas.

Amber Halsell said she began keeping a list after noticing an unusually large number of disappearing pets — and strange circumstances. (See her list of the missing dogs and locations below story).

"It's been going on at least since December," said Halsell, who now does daily checks of Craigslist and social media sites where people post missing pet information. Also curious about these cases, she said, is that the dogs haven't been found by others, alive or dead.

"The dogs have just disappeared without a trace ... they're just gone," Halsell said.

Shelter staff hope residents will report anything suspicious that might lead to information about where the dogs are going.

It's unknown if the increase in missing dogs is connected with the recent killing of a German shepherd. The dog's body was found on March 12 in Devil's Corral near Twin Falls. The dog's head had been obliterated, apparently bashed in with a block of concrete nearby. The dog's body was covered in a purple sheet, and some have speculated that it may have been an occult or ritualistic killing of some sort.

News of the missing dogs and possible ritualistic killing has spread fast, with national and international news outlets carrying stories Thursday, including USA Today, The New York Daily News, and The Toronto Sun.

The Humane Society of the United States has offered a $5,000 reward leading to the conviction of the person who bludgeoned the dog to death. A spokesman for the Jerome County Sheriff's Office said Thursday afternoon that no one has filed a report about the dog, so it is not currently under investigation.

source -- http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/03/21/2502089/where-did-they-go-more-than-30.html