Dog Theft ... 52 % from gardens

I agree with you TT. We often hear of missing pets around this part of Kent... I may have told you that I "do" dog sitting here at home for a couple of friends. I know I'm safe at home but I do worry when we are out walking in the orchards... I'm dog sitting for Finlay at the moment - He is a lovely slim Golden Retriever I'd be absolutely devestated if someone decided to lure him away... :(((( And goodness knows what his Mum would say :((((((((

Hi Tracey ...
Yes. Part of the reason a lot of puppies and adults in Kennel Club Groups such as Toy breeds, and Gundogs are targeted is that they are generally friendly and will go up and say hello to strangers.

Other breeds, such as many in the Kennel Club Working Group and Pastoral Group ... e.g. Collies, Sheepdogs, are more likely to be somewhat wary of strangers.

Lovely Finlay ... stay close to Tracey xxx

He's a good boy TT - very well trained too ;) Bit down in the dumps this evening... He hasn't had much of a walk today... It's been back to back rain all day :o(

Thanks for this Terra. It's horrible to think that nasty thugs would take our pets and sell them on for goodness knows what. A happy story...my Brother had his German Shepherd stolen from the garden in Lincs. Three years later she ended up in a rescue centre on the south coast, and she was able to be returned home! Isn't that happy?!

Hi Karen ..
That's a lovely happy ending for your brother's dog ... ...there are amazing stories of pets being reunited, but pet theft generally is on the increase, so any reminders like this are useful.

Thanks for the warning TT even though we are aware its good to have a reminder to keep us on our toes , we know of a farmer friend who had his dogs stolen only to have a blackmail message to say he could have them back for a substantial amount of money ,they paid as they were desperate to get their pets back ...

Oh no! That's dire Amy......sigh....I don't know what I would have done in that situation. :(

Hi Steve ...
Yes ... it seems anything is a candidate for being stolen ... pets, farm animals, gates, roofs, fences, shrubs ...

Hello Amy ...
I'm glad the farmers got their dogs back, but having to agree to blackmail demands is awful ...

good blog, and an important point to make. lol that's one reason I'd go for a mixed breed dog, no value to anyone except me (besides, can't have a dog with more breeding than me!!)

The police have become involved because of the large no. of cats that have gone missing in our local area, sad to say they are not being stolen as pets :O(

Hi Fran ..
Glad you've found the blog useful ... unfortunately mixed breed dogs are being stolen...

...this sounds horrible and I'm sorry to write something upsetting, but the crooks involved in dog fighting use various stolen dogs of any type as 'bait' ... so no pet dog is safe ...

Hi Annie...
I wrote my comment to Fran before I read yours ..
yes... cats have gone missing too ..

Here's a link relevant to a cats gone missing group near to you ...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/661790023937008/

It is a facebook group : Has Your Cat Gone Missing.
Covers Northants and into Bedfordshire.

Happens in Leicestershire too......cats and dogs.......
I think I know what you mean Annie :0 (

Yes ... I'm never too trusting of strangers near my pets !

A sad but true situation TT. You're right not to trust strangers near your lovely boys.

Its happening all over isn't it, only this week my niece put a link on facebook about a dog that had gone missing, pleased to say tonight we have news that this one has been found and returned to the owner safe and well today, I think this one was a lost pet not a stolen one but its the lucky one...
There is a local lost and found pets page on the facebook site and its heartbreaking to see how many cats have gone missing in and around our town in the time we've been checking in, we have given up hope of Harry returning, there was never any sight of him alive or dead so my daughter is convinced he was stolen as he was not a wanderer and rarely strayed further than ours or the neighbours gardens.....

That's very informative Terra, Its always happening here in the Philippines its very worst, they' re making money and sale the dogs for cuisine...some people here are eating the meat of dogs,
Our government cannot control of this people ways...
Hoping there will be a Law Implementing the Animals welfare ..and this people be in jail for hundreds of years,

I hope it makes them sick Junna......

Hi Julia, Sue and Junna ..
Thoughts of theft and cruelty make me want to hug my dogs even closer ...

does "chipping" the dogs make any difference? at least to recovering them afterwards - unless there's a way to mark the dogs so that theives know they're chipped and not bother to try stealing them.

Micro-chips do help in genuine pet-lost cases, provided the people who find the stray animal make sure the pet is scanned correctly for return to the owner.
Some pet owners prefer the tattoo method, such as inside a dog's ear or stomach area, with a visible number.

didn't know about the tattoo method, sounds good, as it can't be removed unobtrusively!