Gosh, it's scary out there at the moment. I feel like every time I take my dog, Poppet, for a walk, another dog owner or walker has a new story about dog theft.
These anecdotal stories are terrifying, sure. But what's more terrifying is the fact that dog theft has increased by over 170% from 2019 to 2020. Even Lady Gaga had her dogs stolen earlier this year.
The sad fact is, these unscrupulous people see our precious pets as a commodity, something they can exploit for financial gain. The price of dogs and puppies has skyrocketed due to Covid-19 and the large numbers of families who have decided to add a dog to their family has added to the value of our pets to these thieves.
So, what can we, as responsible dog owners, do about this awful new reality?
- Never leave your dog unattended, not even for a moment
- Don't share location tags when sharing images of your dog
- Don't participate in viral trends where you disclose information about your dog, such as their nicknames, favourite treats, best tricks etc. Not only does some of this information help the dog nappers steal your dog in the first place, it also makes it far more convincing for them to be able to pass your pooch off as their own
- Invest in a criminal defense spray such as this one from Amazon
- Invest in a safety gear for walking with your dog, such as these we sell here at Patch&Pops
- Look around your home, make sure you’ve got some home security, CCTV, and that the gates are locked in the garden
- Ensure your dog has reliable recall
There's lots we can do to keep ourselves and our fur babies safe,and it's not all bad news - 27 dogs - including spaniels, a French bulldog, and a rottweiler- were recently recovered from an address in Essex, and another 83 dogs were recovered in Suffolk in March 2021. The Police are on our side, but we know how stretched they are at the moment. So keep yourself and your dog safe with these tips