pet theft on the rise - Tips from AKC

[fufufashions]

Lots of good info here from AKC:

Pet Theft on the Rise – Tips to Prevent Pet Theft
By: Courtesy of the American Kennel Club


The American Kennel Club® is warning pet owners and breeders about an alarming rise in dog thefts in recent months. From parking lots to pet stores and even backyards, more dogs are disappearing. In the first three months of 2008, the AKC has tracked more than 30 thefts from news and customer reports, versus only ten for all twelve months of 2007.

Media reports have chronicled the escalation of these "dog-nappings" from all around the country. Incidents have included armed robbers entering a breeder's home, tiny puppies being stuffed into purses at pet stores and most recently, purebred pets being snatched from cars in parking lots and even shelters.

"The value of pets in people's lives has been on the rise for a long time and now we are seeing thieves trying to capitalize on this.

Whether they seek to resell the dog, collect a ransom or breed the dogs and sell their offspring, thieves seem to be attuned to the increased financial and emotional value pets have in our lives," said AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "Losing a treasured family pet is devastating to the owner."

"Criminals look for weaknesses and exploit them. They know pets can't protect themselves, so that means owners need to be alert," said Lt. John Kerwick, a law enforcement K-9 handler and the President of the U.S. Police Canine Association, Region 7. "Be wary of anyone who approaches you and asks too many questions about your dog or where you live. This is a red flag that they may be out to snatch your pet."

Peterson added that "These 'dog-nappers' are misguided and naïve. They're stealing living beings, not jewelry that can be pawned. Plus, it's unlikely that they can sell the dogs for high prices without proper registration papers, and these inept criminals are not realistically going to collect a ransom. Caring for a dog -- and especially breeding -- is a time consuming endeavor that requires a lot of knowledge. Thieves will find themselves with a frightened and confused animal that needs a lot of care."

The AKC offers the following advice to prevent your "best friend" from being a target of a crime:

At Home
· Don't let your dog off-leash – Keeping your dog close to you reduces the likelihood it will wander off and catch the attention of thieves. A Saint Bernard that had wandered away from his owner in Nebraska was snatched up right off the road.
· Don't leave your dog unattended in your yard – Dogs left outdoors when no one is home for long periods of time can be potential targets, especially if you live in a rural area and the fenced-in yard or dog runs are visible from the street.
· Keep purchase price to yourself – If strangers approach you to admire your dog during walks, don't answer questions about how much the dog cost or give details about where you live.
· Breeders need to be aware of home visits by potential puppy buyers – Criminals posing as would be "puppy buyers" have visited breeder homes to snatch dogs, while other homes have been burglarized when the owner was away. From Yorkies in Los Angeles to Bulldogs in Connecticut, thieves have targeted young puppies of these highly coveted breeds.

On the Road
· Never leave your dog in an unattended car, even if it's locked – Even if you are gone for only a moment, an unlocked car is an invitation for trouble. Also leaving expensive items in the car such as a GPS unit or laptop will only invite thieves to break and possibly allow the dog to escape.
· Don't tie your dog outside a store – This popular practice among city dwelling dog owners can be a recipe for disaster. Reports have surfaced of such thefts in Manhattan. If you need to go shopping, patronize only dog-friendly retailers or leave the dog at home.
· Be vigilant when entering or leaving establishments or venues catering to dogs such as grooming salons, veterinarians, doggie day care or hotels – Be aware of your surroundings, such as slow moving vehicles, or people watching you and your dog. Carry pepper spray as a precaution and, if possible, don't walk alone late at night or stay in a well lit area.

Recovery
· Protect your dog with microchip identification – Collars and tags can be removed so make sure you have permanent ID with a microchip. Keep contact information current with your recovery service provider. Several pets have been recovered because of alert people scanning and discovering microchips. For more information and to enroll your pet in a 24 hour recovery service visit AKC CAR - Companion Animal Recovery - Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved.
· If you suspect your dog has been stolen – Immediately call the police / animal control in the area your pet was last seen.
· Have fliers with a recent photo ready to go if your dog goes missing – Keep a photo of your dog in your wallet or on an easily accessible web account so that you can distribute immediately if your pet goes missing.

[Odie in London]

Hi Linda,
Thanks for the great tips! You never know who is lurking around watching to snatch you furbaby! It is so scary just how bad people have gotten now.

Have a great day

[Tytainea]

Perhaps this has already been done. But I was thinking why not have the microchip act like a LoJack? When the dog is missing you can call and have the chip activated and your dog will show up as a blip on a map that someone can follow. They would probably charge a monthly fee for the service but I would pay it.

[nikkinack]

Originally Posted by Tytainea

Perhaps this has already been done. But I was thinking why not have the microchip act like a LoJack? When the dog is missing you can call and have the chip activated and your dog will show up as a blip on a map that someone can follow. They would probably charge a monthly fee for the service but I would pay it.

I would pay as well

[rebecca127]

· Don't tie your dog outside a store – This popular practice among city dwelling dog owners can be a recipe for disaster. Reports have surfaced of such thefts in Manhattan. If you need to go shopping, patronize only dog-friendly retailers or leave the dog at home.


^^ I live in NYC and let me tell you this has to be one of the worst practices done. I understand that you have to walk your dog and you need to do errands at the same time but this has to be one of the easiest ways for a thief to steal your dog!!! Leave them at home when you do errands!!! Sorry but this is very common to do here.

[Nancy1999]

Great tips, thanks for posting!

[LullaBelle]

I know I am constantly praying and hopeing that LulaBelle is never stollen.

I am just afraid that somebody is going to wait till I leave for work and take her.

I have taken all the nessisary steps for protecting her but one never knows.
Every day I leave the house and think and pray please keep my baby safe!

[Tytainea]

Originally Posted by LullaBelle

I know I am constantly praying and hopeing that LulaBelle is never stollen.

I am just afraid that somebody is going to wait till I leave for work and take her.

I have taken all the nessisary steps for protecting her but one never knows.
Every day I leave the house and think and pray please keep my baby safe!

I know just how you feel. I wish I could take her everywhere with me, but I cant seem to find a fashionable carrier for her. She is 10 pounds. But I hate leaving her at home. I may start bringing her to work again. Not only do I worry about her safety, but I miss her all day to. I'm a sap I know.

[wookie]

Great Tips

[Morkie4]

Great Post!!! Great Information! THANKS!

[YorkieChick1]

Good tips!! Kinda scary though!! I used to leave my 3 little ones in the car seat and just run into the grocery store for 5 minutes and then I thought, would I leave $5000 sitting on the seat, of course not!! So now I run them home and then go back to the store!! I don't want to take any chances!

[KathyinCali]

Thanks for posting these tips!

[furby2000]

Thank you so much for the post!

[Jezebel Dutches]

*Tytainea*

Be careful about taking her to work! I read on YT a few months ago a dog was stolen from a ladies office! Something about a customer came in and while she was helping someone else, he grabbed her dog and ran!

I live in constant fear my Jezebel will be stolen. She microchiped but I still worry, my husband thinks I'm crazy. I try to never leave her in the car alone and when she was spayed, I worried someone would still her from the vet office!

[Tytainea]

Originally Posted by Jezebel Dutches

*Tytatine*

Be careful about taking her to work! I read on YT a few months ago a dog was stolen from a ladies office! Something about a customer came in and while she was helping someone else, he grabbed her dog and ran!

I live in constant fear my Jezebel will be stolen. She microchiped but I still worry, my husband thinks I'm crazy. I try to never leave her in the car alone and when she was spayed, I worried someone would still her from the vet office!

I dont work in an office. I am in a trailer at a transfer station. I am the only one that can get into where I am with my baby exept the owner....who happens to be her daddy. He wont steel her.

But that is a good point you bring up. I wouldnt have thought of something like that. If someone tried to run with my little one they better hope like hell I dont catch them.