Police figures recommend canine thefts have elevated throughout the nation, with a number of the most regularly stolen breeds fetching about £3,000 – which means criminals can safe giant sums.
Dog thefts are up throughout the UK and only one in six have been returned to their homeowners in 2023 – the bottom stage since insurer Direct Line began monitoring the information in 2015.
Police figures recommend at the very least 2,290 dogs have been stolen final yr, a rise of 6% from 2022, and most are reported in London, Kent, and West Yorkshire.
English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and XL bullys have been probably the most regularly stolen breeds, with the previous two recurrently marketed for about £3,000, in accordance with Direct Line.
One of these dogs reported lacking was Mouse, a Jack Russell final seen throughout a walk on 3 December final yr.
Her disappearance has “devastated” her homeowners, who haven’t managed to trace her down regardless of in depth and repeated searches by the local people in Chalfont St Peter, in Buckinghamshire.
“It’s modified our lives fully. You cannot surrender. We haven’t any closure,” mentioned Anne Maynard.
“We do not sleep correctly. We get crank calls from folks in the course of the night time saying, ‘we have your canine’ after which they put the telephone down and we will not get again to sleep.
“It’s a life sentence. She’s a part of our household.”
Addressing the person who may need her, Mrs Maynard mentioned: “They must do the correct factor. She’s an exquisite canine, however she’s not theirs, she’s ours.
“All they must do is put her someplace she will likely be discovered. No questions requested. She would not surrender on us, so we’re not going to surrender on her.”
Beverley Cuddy, the editor of Dogs Today journal, mentioned it’s “surprising” so few stolen pets are returned.
“The Theft Act nonetheless treats this crime as no extra important than the theft of a cell phone – so all our pets are prone to abduction,” she added.
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“We could make it tougher for impulsive criminals by by no means leaving our dogs tied up exterior retailers and defending them when at home. Statistics present most are stolen from our personal gardens.
“The Pet Abduction Bill will hopefully punish canine thefts extra severely, however extra must be completed to vary the best way dogs are handled as mere commodities by the legislation.”
