Beware of Rising Pet Theft
We almost wrote “pet napping” up there, but who would really be worried about their furry friends catching a few Zzzz’s? No, this issue goes far beyond “napping” in the traditional sense. We mean pet stealing. Pet theft is on the rise right now, as slimy individuals try to cope with the economy by making a quick buck stealing and then selling those stolen pets.
According to a recent article on MSNBC…
Kit Lofgren let her two dogs out in her front yard — on a small cul de sac of only nine homes in her somewhat rural neighborhood in Los Gatos, Calif. — and took her attention away from them briefly. When she turned back, the Labrador was still there, but Heikki, a 4-month-old Bernese mountain dog, had vanished.
Within minutes, Lofgren had neighbors combing the area, but the 11-pound puppy was nowhere to be found.
It was then that she and her neighbors remembered seeing the same man sitting in a truck on subsequent days.
It might not be up there with burglary or other types of property theft, but dognapping is on the rise, says American Kennel Club spokesperson Lisa Peterson, who tracks dog news around the country.
Police reports don’t make a distinction between pet theft and other property theft, so there’s no way to pinpoint the exact number of stolen pets each year, but anecdotally, officers say that pet theft is increasing this year.
PREVENT PET THEFT:
Know which breeds are at risk.
Toy breeds, puppies, and purebred dogs that look expensive or unusual are most vulnerable, says Peterson. Among the stolen breeds tracked by the AKC in 2008 are Yorkshire terriers, poodles, Pomeranians, shih tzu, bulldogs, corgis, a Norwich terrier and a mastiff.
Pay attention to your surroundings.
The pet owner in the story remembered seeing the same man in the same truck several days in a row. Pay close attention to anything out of the ordinary, and be sure to tell your petsitter to be extra attentive as well.
Never leave a pet outside unsupervised.
Whether you put the pet in the front yard to entertain himself, tie up the dog for two seconds while you run into the coffee shop or leave a critter in the car while you run an errand (bad on so many levels), don’t leave your pet out in the open. If you want him to have exercise, but you don’t have time to take him out in the middle of the day every day, hire a dog walker.
Don’t share information with strangers.
If someone approaches you to talk about your pet, don’t ever discuss details like where you live, how expensive the pet was, his prized bloodline, etc.
Be prepared.
Give your petsitter a picture of your pet along with a brief written description, just in case something should happen. Also keep your proof-of-ownership information (breeding information, bill of sale, etc.) in one, safe place. Always make sure your pet has his ID tags on, and consider microchipping him as well.
Add some variety to your routines.
Walk the dog at different times, for example. Anything you can do to change up your pet care routine can help take the focus off your pet and makes it hard for pet thieves to stalk/keep track of you and your pet.
When pets go missing:
– Report the theft to police.
– Start your own search — post pictures and flyers in the neighborhood.
– Contact animal shelters to see if your pet has been turned in there.
– Do online research to see if there is a local lost-pet service on the internet.
– Check out websites such as petfinder.com, missingpet.net and findfido.com.
– Beware of scam artists!
More information
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August 4th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
I had a work colleague and pet sitting client who had a white german shepherd stolen from his yard when a repair man left the gate open. He’s never been quite sure if the repair man was the one who actually took him. Pet theft is very sad. Keep a good eye on your pets when you have strangers in your home.
August 8th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
My brother, who lived just six blocks from us (near a bad
neighborhood) had his baby Rottie stolen from his backyard.
He put up signs for a reward. A grandmother and her grandson
showed up FOR the reward money - with the dog - thank
goodness! Fortunately the dog was unharmed! He’s 15 years
old now!
Unfortunately, as we hear about what happens to black cats
around halloween, sick people also steal animals to harm
them. I won’t go into details, but sometimes pets are stolen,
beaten, and brought back for the REWARD money saying
“we found him that way.”
PLEASE watch out after your pets no matter their age!
September 10th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
I ask someone to babysit my dog now he won’t return him! What do I do?
December 26th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Anonymous:
Does the dog still know you are the mommy or daddy? If so, you can call your local Police Department. Show them the receipt where you adopted the dog originally, and also the license if you registered your dog with the City. Show the officers your dog’s pet food and dishes. Take them outside, if your yard shows signs that the dog was there. Show them where the dog took his potty breaks. Tell them where your ‘pet sitter’ turned thief lives, and ask them if they can get your dog back. DON’T ask this jerk to ever pet sit for you again. This seems trivial to the cops, so they won’t keep on going to get your dog. I know it’s not trivial to you. Good luck!
(I’m also surprised no one has responded to your plight sooner!)