With puppy prices going through the roof during lockdown it means our hounds are a valuable commodity. The supply and demand for dogs is massive which naturally attracts criminals. The RSPCA said the average price for a KC registered puppy in 2019 was around £800, today they are £2500 - £3000! this is easy money for some and holds less risk than drug dealing.
With rescue centres having a high turn over as well, well meaning potential owners are even finding it difficult to even adopt. This is great! because it means dogs aren’t stuck in kennels for long periods of time but it does mean a lot of people look elsewhere.
Dogs get stolen for a few reasons and the main ones being breed specific supply and demand, breeding and very sadly, dog fighting. When your dog goes missing you won’t know which one so being prepared and putting some measures in place could mean all the difference on warding off those bottom wipes who want to steel your precious.
10 tips to prevent dog theft
Get your dog neutered, if your dog is stolen it is likely to disappear into a puppy breeding farm with horrible conditions where as if they can’t breed from them they are more likely to be sold on to a home where they will get checked for microchips or scars (chip removal) by a vet eventually.
Make sure your garden is secure with gates locked and cctv in operation signs up. Failing that, get cctv which will totally discourage dog theft. 52% of dogs are stolen from gardens.
Don’t post cute puppy photos on social media to the public, select friends only with puppy pictures. A lot of puppies are spotted on social media this way.
Make sure your microchip and collar tag details are up to date so if they do get found they can get them back to you.
Don’t leave your dog tied up outside of a shop or in the car.
Make sure your dogs recall skills are brilliant and train them to avoid strangers. If you have a people friendly dog ask the people they approach to ignore the dog and not to encourage them.
Check for strange marks or signs on your house. Some thief's will mark a house before steeling with a bit of string on the gate, perhaps a cable tie or a mark of chalk.
Don’t trust anyone without checking credentials, reviews, I.D. or references when choosing a new dog service or if they say they are from the RSPCA.
If you are approached on a walk don’t get too friendly if you have suspicions. Just walk away. If you are that worried get a personal alarm, attack spray or body cam but bare in mind it may frighten your dog so teach them to be use to the loud noises.
Beware of unmarked vans patrolling your neighbourhood that look suspicious. alert your neighbours and the police if you think anything is unusual. FB has been great at alerting public to the risk.
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