Dog Theft on the Rise

I am sure you have all seen the alarming number of posts on social media about dog thefts recently. It is very concerning and likely that the increase is due to the demand for puppies/dogs during the Covid Pandemic and Lockdown restrictions. Due to people having more time at home, the demand for puppies increased and so the cost of puppies has escalated anywhere up to £4000 for some breeds. Now sadly dogs are valuable assets, and have become an easy target for thief's. They may be selling them on, using the dogs for breeding, holding them for ransom money, or keeping them for themselves.

Whilst certain breeds are more likely to be targeted like: Labradors, Dachshunds, Boston Terriers and French Bulldogs, all dogs are vulnerable and have a sale value.

Always keep a look out!

Where are dogs being stolen from

The most common place is from gardens, local parks, cars, on dog walks, homes and when dogs are left outside of shops. However there are thieves pretending to be RSPCA inspectors/dog wardens, and even have logos on their vehicles.

What to look out for

Anyone that you do not know taking photos/videos of your dog

Anyone asking a lot of questions about your dog

Markings on you house or outside walls, put there by thieves to indicate a dog lives there

Coloured ribbons tied outside your house, this also indicates a dog lives there

Blue balls in your garden, again put there as a marker

Suspicious people watching you or your dog whilst out walking

In some cases the thieves are working in teams/groups, so keep an eye out for anything suspicious and report it to the police immediately. If you can take a photo or video of the person/vehicle and ask any witnesses for their help.