Pet Theft Awareness

 

For most people February 14 is a day of romance, heart shaped pizza and many spoils for the love in their lives.  For others, this day pulls on the heart strings of many pet parents worldwide.  In the pet world February 14 is pet theft awareness day.  This means as pet lovers we take this opportunity to educated ourselves and others on how to prevent pet theft as well as offer support and comfort to those who have lost a their pet.

Pet parents are often reminded how many dogs get stolen from their guardians by heartless criminals each year and how important it is to come together and spread awareness of this tragic occurrence.

Most pet parents will never experience such a cruel act  but there are many who fall victim to pet theft each year and the numbers are increasing by approximately 250% each year.

 

Pet Theft Awareness Statistics

According to Canine Journal approximately two million dogs are victims of dog theft each year in the U.S and only about 10% of pet guardians manage recover their dogs.

Approximately 1 million dogs go missing in Canada each year with an Approximate 10% recovery. It doesn’t take a math wiz to recognize that these numbers are alarmingly high.

 

Why Do People Steal Dogs?

Money is the number 1 incentive behind pet theft.  Dog flippers realize the monetary value of certain specific breeds and the demand for owning them.  The dog flipper will steal the dog and resell it for a greater amount.   Often Dog thieves will steal a dog just to return it to the owner for the reward money and /or sell the dog to a no questions asked medical research labs.

 

Who Buys Stolen Dogs?

Dog thieves will present themselves as either a professional or private dog seller.
Rarely does the buyer ask relevant questions and proof of credentials or reference history. The dog flipper will post a dog for sale ad on platforms like Craigslist to attracted buyers.

 

Other times the dog flipper will respond to ISO ad regarding a specific breed.  A google search away will let the thieves know which breeds are in higher demand, kind of like car thieves.  This makes it easier for the thieves because they know exactly what kind of dogs to look for.

 

 

Dog Breeds Most Susceptible To Theft

These are the ten most commonly stolen dog breeds.

There is a high demand for purebred dogs and people are willing to pay a significant amount to obtain a pure breed dog. Social trends also have an impact on in demand dogs, made popular by trend setters and social media influencers.

 

• American Pit Bull Terrier
• Boston Terrier
• Chihuahua
• French Bulldog
• German Shepherd
• Labradoodle
• Labrador Retriever
• Maltese
• Pomeranian
• Yorkshire Terrier

 

Remember when?

music’s superstar Lady Gaga’s French Bulldogs were stolen? Five people were involved in the incident. The dogs were taken by force from Gaga’s dog walker Ryan Fischer.  The robbers shot Ryan Fischer leaving him in critical condition.

According to the police, the thieves did not appear to have realized the dogs belonged to the pop star.

The criminals involved in the dog robbery were motivated by the high value of the French bulldogs.  The price for a French bulldog can reach thousands of dollars. They were willing to kill for the payday.   Lady Gaga was able to recover her stolen dogs even though the odds were against her.

 

How To Protect Your Dog From Theft

As an animal protection officer, I had responded to many dog-theft calls.  These were extremely difficult because for the pet parent it was the equivalent of losing a child.  After all our pets are certainly members of the family.  Losing a pet can be devastating even more so than a pet suddenly dying.

 

When your dog is taken from you, you feel nothing but pain, loss, and, most importantly, fear of the unknown.   Victims of dog theft know that their dog is alive somewhere and often never get closure.  That is enough to mentally debilitate any pet parent.

 

Based on my professional experience, I believe that most of these thefts could have been prevented.

 

 

Tips To Protect Your Beloved Dog From Theft

Microchip

Make sure you have your dog microchipped.  Do this ASAP. a dog microchip is a radio-frequency identification transponder.  A microchip stores a unique ID number that can be retrieved to determine the pet parent’s contact information. This is already a common practice within Pet adoption Shelters.

 

You can check the adoption documents to see if your dog has a microchip if it is adopted from an animal shelter. You should ask your veterinarian to scan your older dog if you are unsure whether he is microchipped.  Older dogs may not have a microchip. Now is a good time to get one.  Having your dog microchipped is fairly affordable and can save you from a lot of grief in the future.

 

 

Stay vigilant – Don’t get complacent

You wouldn’t tie your 2-year-old to a post while you run into the store to pick up some quick items.

The same goes for your dog.   What you may not know is dog thieves count on pet guardian’s complacency.  They know that people continue to tie their dogs to the post unattended.

 

That’s when they make their move.  It doesn’t make a difference if you’re in the store for 2 minutes or half an hour.  The theft occurs moments after you enter the building because you were being watched by the thief. That’s right, dog thieves wait and strike at the perfect moment.

 

A 2-person operation takes less than 20 seconds.  One person to quickly befriend the dog and untie it from the post and the other to pull up in a vehicle.  Within the blink of an eye they disappear.

 

 

Secure The Yard

Many Pet guardians let their dog out in the backyard to do their business and for some play time.  If you have a fenced backyard, the fence must be tall enough.  Not only to keep unwanted people out of your yard but also to keep your dog inside.

 

Examine the fence line every couple of days. Check for any holes or large spaces between the ground and the fence that your dog might have dug out.  This will ensure your dog won’t run away or wander around the neighborhood unattended. Dogs are often stolen when left unattended and roaming on their own.

 

Dogs should never be left unattended outside.  As mentioned earlier Majority of dog thefts are a result of human error and complacency.  If you reside in a suburb, take the time to get to know your neighborhood pets and their guardians.

 

This will familiarize you with which dog belongs to which neighbor.  If you observe a dog being walked by a questionable individual, you could prevent dog theft by reporting it to the police. But never attempt to confront a dog thief, instead call the police, and provide as many details as possible.

 

 

Join Local Lost Dog Social Media Groups

Joining a Facebook group dedicated to lost pets can be very advantageous.  It‘s like having thousands of extra eyes on the lookout for any lost dogs.  It is like putting out a mini-AMBER alert.

Animal Control Officers take full advantage of social media lost dog groups.  The groups help the officers reunite the owner with their dog much faster.

 

 

Keep Dog Tags Up To Date

Not only is it the law in most municipalities, but renewing you tags every year ensures that your contact information in connection to your dog is up to date.

 

 

GPS Tile

There are small GPS tiles that you can purchase and clip onto the your dog’s collar.  These devices are inexpensive, and come with a battery life that lasts approximately a year. Even though the GPS device won’t keep thieves from stealing your dog, it will provide you with the last known location of the dog before the collar or GPS device was removed.  From there the police can request camera footage from local businesses or residence to help identify the suspect, vehicle, and direction of travel.

 

 

Steps To Take If Your Dog Goes Missing

 

File A Police Report

 

File a police report right away.

 

Unfortunately, dog thefts are not a high priority for police departments unless you’re able to provide information that will lead the police to the suspect. Such as the license plate number of the vehicle.

 

Lost Dog Social Media Groups

Post your missing dog on lost Dogs social media groups.  Use the most current and clear photos.

Remember to include any unique markings of your dog.

 

 

Call Your Local Animal Shelter

There is a possibility that your dog was picked up by Animal Control and is being housed safely

 

Canvas The Area

Check nearby garbage cans and dumpsters.

It is likely that your dog’s collar was thrown away in a nearby garbage dumpster if your dog was taken. In the event that you find the collar, you can knock on some neighbors’ doors and ask to see their camera footage.  This might give you a clear picture of the thief, it might even be someone that you know.  The camera footage may show the direction of travel which can be helpful to Police Officers in their Investigation.

 

Create, Print and Distribute Flyers | In Color!

Create flyers and post them around your neighborhood first. Post more flyers around walking trails and dog parks.

 

Search Online For Dog Sale Ads

Its highly probable that your dog might end up on a local for sale ad on a platform like Craig’s list.

You should call the police if you discover that your dog is listed on one of these ads. Do not attempt to confront the dog thief personally.

 

Pro Tip:

Some thieves will even enter your home to steal your dog.  Its always a good idea to have a security system such as an alarm and surveillance cameras linked to your your smart devices.

 

 

Report Pet Theft

Your local police department should be contacted if you suspect a dog has been taken.

 

See our How To Deal Effectively With The Loss Of  A Pet Article to find answers on how to cope with pet loss.