Raising awareness of Dog Theft’s in Sussex
Unless you avoid the news you will already be aware that Dog Theft is rapidly increasing. In the South East alone the numbers have risen by 33%, there were 163 dog thefts recorded last year. The actual figures might be more as a dog stolen from a car/ house may be recorded as ‘car theft’ or ‘ break in’ unless the police have solid proof of the dog being stolen and not ‘run away out of fear’!
Since learning about Stolen Ted SW20 ( sprocker stolen using force on owner in daylight) I have immersed myself in this worrying subject.
Every day in this country dogs are being stolen, some from gardens, outside shops, by force and some on walks when out of sight of the owner. Young dogs, puppies, old, pedigree, mixed breed, blind, deaf, elderly ANYTHING! Dog thieves have no conscience.
My wish is not to cause anxiety among dog owners but to raise awareness. Please don’t be complacent and think that somehow here in Southwater we are untouchable. All the dog theft charities, RSPCA and Police all give the same advice: ensure your dog is microchipped, do not leave your dog in a locked car/van, beware of what info you give on social media ( keep info private),don’t leave dog unattended in garden ( some thieves have been known to climb over 7 fences), keep dog in sight on walks, if a stranger approaches your dog immediately put leash back on and keep your walks to where you can get help if needed.
During this time it would be unwise to go on deserted walks alone, please ensure that you can get help if necessary. The other top tip is please do not leave your dog unattended outside a shop not even for a minute. So many dogs are stolen this way, don’t make it easy for a thief! This especially applies to shops on main roads with so many non-locals passing through I never thought that during a pandemic I would have the added worry of keeping my pet safe. If like me you wish to purchase legal self- defence items Police Supplies have a range of products including the popular Farb gel which when sprayed on to a criminal will leave a stain for several days. For those of you without the internet the tel number is 0151 548 0144
Let’s stay vigilant and hopefully we can keep our enviable dog theft free status here in Southwater.
Article submitted by Katrina