Statistics show that dog theft is on the rise; over the past three years reported thefts have increased by 24%.
But what’s in it for the criminals? Money – and lots of it.
Some dogs will just be sold on, perhaps with a story of “we just don’t have the time to give him anymore”. Some, if not neutered can become profitable breeding machines – because everyone loves a cute puppy. More recently the criminal focus has turned to working breeds, especially trained Gundogs who might be housed in outdoor kennels, making the theft that little bit easier.
If your dog has ever vanished on a walk, perhaps to pursue a deer or a rabbit then you’ll know those heart pounding minutes well, until you see them come back into view looking pretty pleased with themselves.
But imagine if they didn’t come back, what would you do? One of the places you would report the dog missing to is DogLost, but they have identified a whole new trend in dog theft. It’s now common place for the owners of lost dogs to receive a call from the ‘new owner’ who claims to have bought their dog and will of course return it if they’re reimbursed. And then there’s the calls which are just ransom demands. Most of us would give our last penny and much more to get our beloved dog back. Prepare yourself for the worst by having upto date photos of your dog and always keep your contact details up to date on their tag and microchip.
So why, with such a well-documented rise in this crime do we still see dogs tied up outside shops? It’s a rare occurrence when I visit the supermarket that I don’t see a dog tied up outside. Is it really worth the risk, I don’t think so.
