Staffies and French Bulldogs in Yorkshire / North West Areas Top the Most Stolen List
Of all the things thieves can take, your beloved dog is one of the hardest to bear. Yet dog theft is on the rise, according to crime statistics from around the UK. Security company CCTV.co.uk want to highlight the risks dog owners face, as well as how to tackle them.
One possible reason thieves may be stealing more and more dogs is the increasing number of people who own expensive breeds of dog which are valuable when reselling them on the black market.
The figures show an increase in thefts since 2012. 121 more dogs were stolen in 2017 than in 2016, a total of nearly 2000 dog thefts last year.
There is a clear trend in the breeds being targeted, with the most commonly stolen breeds also being among the breeds that are currently most popular and in demand. The top five at risk dogs are Staffordshire bull terriers, French bulldogs, chihuahuas, Jack Russells, and crossbreeds.
The latter includes fashionable choices such as Cockerpoos (cocker spaniel and poodle crossbreeds) and Puggles (pug and beagle crossbreeds), which are popular with celebrities and on social media thanks to their combination of cute characteristics.
The most at-risk areas have also been clearly identified as Yorkshire, the North West, the South East, London and the West Midlands suffering from the highest number of dog thefts.
And in light of this trends, there are some key things dog owners can do when it comes to protecting their dogs. Jonathan Ratcliffe of CCTV.co.uk said: “While there’s no guarantee you can ever completely protect your dog from being stolen, you can hugely reduce the chances of it happening by making sure your home and garden are secure.
“Keeping your gate locked when your dog is outside, perhaps even locking it and ensuring you watch your dog at all times if you live in a high risk area. Consider updating your home security.”
“When you’re out and about, keep your dog on a lead and never leave them completely unattended if at all possible. This is even more important if you do have one of the most in-demand breeds, which are of a higher financial value to thieves.
“If the worst does happen, having your dog chipped could help you to track them down if they are then re-sold and taken to a vet.”