Dog theft is it increasing?

TanaMa Also one of the problems with chipping is that owners forget to register any new address they may move to and keeping the details up to date with the micro chio company.

Great post Emilymaria.
In my opinion another aspect of recent times is the abhorrent and sadistic cruelty that appears to be taking place to animals.
Part of my work takes me into the courts and many colleagues have talked about this rise being seen.

I have two ‘expensive’ cross breeds that have cost me nothing in vets fees in past nine years as they were very healthy pups. My last beloved was a rescue who cost me a ton because of his knackered health as he was starved as a pup.. things aren’t always as simple as folks make out.
As for tying up outside shops... I do that sometimes When they are not left in the car, and the racket they make singing and howling, I certainly have to put my skates on.
Sometimes when coming back to my house when I have left them I can hear the young one sobbing loudly. And anyone putting a leaflet through the door let alone post causes a massive to do.. the elder has a bark like a St. Bernard though she is merely a springerdoodle.
I find all these scare stories over inflated. And it has the effect of dogs being even more closeted and contained poor creatures. It’s true that in this impoverished age of austerity people steal paving stones you walk on... I woke one morning to find all the Yorkshire stone pathing of my back garden had been removed... however that was before I had dogs that barked...
No answers here just my point of view. As ever most people are kind and considerate and the fraction of bad’ns shouldn’t wreck your or your dogs lives. I do not know anyone directly who has had dog theft etc ... just lots of rumours and fear and paranoia.

I know 2 people who have had their dogs stolen. One was by a known dog fighting ring. The other was never found so ??

It was a dosile large breed. Police said that big dog Vs little "fighting" dog is one of the "novelty" style fights that go on.

It isnt always fighting fog V fighting dog. They add in the novelty fights to keep the betting interesting.

Rocknroll, the things I posted about actually happened. I think pet owners are right to be concerned.

I think its disingenuous to say that there isnt a huge and problematic appetite for novelty breeds and cross breeds in the UK right now. And even the people who chose ethical breeders and sources for their trendy cross breeds are contributing to the overall popularity which in turn makes them more desirable to people who dont care where they came from.

Once had travellers set up near our home. Whilst walking my two dogs one of them, leaning on a gate, commented about my terrier. When I got home family were instructed to walk in other areas and not to let dogs into paddock until they had moved on. If either dog had gone missing the travellers would have found themselves homeless. No one messes with my animals. I'd happily sell my kids though sometimes

I was watching someone bag his dog’s poo in the park yesterday and thinking the world is cleaner. As a child I lived in a world full of dog dirt but children and many dogs ran free. It was probably a better world for them but a worst world for those affected by their noise and mess. Now pets and children are much more regimented. I am sorry for the house cats. What sort of life is that for a cat? Also for the neighbours of the barking house and car guard dogs. But heigh-ho. There are always conflicting interests and struggles among human animals.

You were so right to be cautious tooyoungtobeagran if you had seen the injuries inflicted by gypsies on our last rescue dog you would be appalled. Now she is the kindest, gentlest little dog imaginable, we are so lucky to have her.

Where money is demanded be it in a large or small amount for the return of ones property especially animals requires law involvement.You just don't hand it over.Where does it stop.? I can appreciate how desperate persons will be to get returned what has been stolen from them however the law is not stupid and extortion nothing new.

The two (rescue) cats I have now are exclusively house cats. Previously, all my cats would go outside. But it's too risky. Out of the 7 previous cats I've owned, 4 disappeared. Cats ARE prone to walk off, but I don't think most of mine did. I think getting hit by cars or stolen for bait (3 out of those 4 were exceptionally friendly and would go to anyone while outside).

I'm not risking it anymore. It cuts out the risk of fleas/ear mites too. Although the cats life is undoubtedly more restricted.

Scares me that it is happening so much also that the poor things ate seldom found.

I’m with you on all of your points EmilyMaria. I do have pedigree dogs though, Poodles. They don’t shed and I have asthma. They are also ‘four square’, with no extremes (muzzle, eyes etc), so are generally healthy.

To answer OP's question, yes, I think stealing an animal whether it is a domestic pet or a farm animal should not just be treated as simple theft.

All pets know where they belong and most love their owners, so stealing someone's pet inflicts distress on the animal, that suddenly finds itself in the hands of complete strangers, as well as inflicting pain on the owner.

Surely, it is possible to petition for theft of animals to be regarded both as theft and as an instance of cruelty to animals?

I too see so many pets gone missing in our area - occasionally it's just that they've run off whilst out walking and sometimes it's heartening to see they've been found but too often they're never seen again. I worry about one of mine who does spend most of his time outside - he's usually in the summerhouse but when he's not I start to worry. We have had drug addicts in a building behind us and I am concerned he goes in the derelict building and could stand on a needle or be trapped when they've set fire to it - a regular occurrence until someone took the roof off. The other cat poddles about in the garden but never ventures out of it and I can't imagine anyone managing to get hold of her to carry her off - she has to be sedated to have her claws cut!!

Emilymaria agree with everything you say. I have two dogs and hardly ever leave them for 15mins while I nip to the shop and they are left inside the house and locked in. In the past I've had a pen outside but not now: I've heard so many stories of pets going missing. If DH and I go out together for an evening I book them into kennels. I would be heartbroken if anything happened to my dogs.

Had a dog stolen years ago - broke my heart.In more recent times -had a loose dog come through my catflap,which then killed one of my elderly cats.Quite literally broke down - as I witnessed it - distraught - and angry - doesn't even come close to how I felt.RSPCA/police offered no help/advice/action.Very recently - a number of neighbours have reported abuse/neglect of a dog to the RSPCA - where one of my daughters lives - have heard the poor animal crying when visiting there and my daughter has also given the RSPCA taped evidence showing it being beaten by it's owner.Have contacted the RSPCA myself - who have visited the address where the dog is being kept -however,they have not removed the poor animal from this awful plight -sorry - I digress from original thread - animal theft/cruelty/neglect should be a criminal offence which is dealt with via custodial sentencing.

I agree about all pets being micro-chipped. My Burmese cat went missing a few years ago but was found 6 weeks later, a good few miles away, by someone who kindly took her to a vet to check for a chip. She was then returned to me. I'll never find out how she got to where she was found but, being a Burmese, she is a nosy little thing and probably hopped into the back of someone's car. Either that or she was stolen and they got bored with her (and with being bitten - she can be a bit iffy)

People think they have a right to own pets and that translates to a culture where people turned down bybgood breeders or rescue places getting their pets elsewhere.

I think the culture of everyone being entitled to a pet regardless of their circumstances needs a major shift across the board.

There are too many cats locked in small flats. Dogs left alone all day. Parrots kept alone (they need a mate) etc..

Its all part of the same entitled culture we have around pet ownership in the UK.

UK needs to get its act together and start treating animal abuse with stiffer penalties like USA. But akso pet owners need to chip their animals and keep on lead when in public places and buzy towns. Also adopt dont shop.

That wont realistically happen until we start to make it less socially acceptable for all people to feel entitled to keep pets, regardless of whether or not their circumstances/accomodation etc are suitable animal homes.

Fantastic post emilymaria, agree with everything you said. Also agree with jaye53. Tougher laws are definitely needed for animal abusers.

On Twitter there are constant appeals regarding stolen dogs. I always share the posts. Just today there was a series of responses re a stolen dog - a bus driver responded with a description of a person seen with a similar dog, the location was shared and then a taxi driver tweeted with a very good description of the thief which enabled eagle eyed people to spot this person and call the police. Result? The dog returned to his ecstatic owner. The pics of this were heartwarming. Good old Twitter enabling the good guys among us to help out a bereft owner and distressed dog.

My dogs are chipped and are never left alone in the garden or any where else. I agree there should be a separate punishment for any animal theft.