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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Are you more concerned about dog theft at the moment?

117 replies

Trulyatraditionalman · 18/02/2021 21:58

Posting on behalf of my friend who is absolutely terrified of her dog being stolen, and has even bought a rape alarm in case anything happens on her walks! There is so much dog theft due to the rise in demand for dogs/puppies and thus their value. I see a "missing" post a few times a week on my local Facebook page...awful.

For those who are dog owners, have you feel more uneasy about taking your dog out for a walk/dog theft in general in the past year?

YABU - I'm not any more cautious than I was a year ago
YANBU - I definitely feel more worried about something happening to my dog in the past year or so.

OP posts:

Peanutbutterblood · 19/02/2021 07:09

Yes, I'm very worried. We have working dogs is kennels outside and have recently beefed up security. Lots of dogs being stolen from farms around here. We'd be devastated

picknmix1984 · 19/02/2021 07:16

Let's not forget that the more searches you do for dog thefts and the more posts you click on about dog thefts then the more Facebook send you posts about dog thefts.

It's making you then think that it's a far bigger and more common problem than it is.

Glitterb · 19/02/2021 07:21

Wow, well I am more concerned after reading this thread! I walk mine early in a morning before work and have never thought about the risk!
Mine would probably be a desirable breed ( although she is spayed so probably worthless) i always keep her on a lead but I guess that makes no difference if someone wants to take her and you are alone! 🙀

doubleleopardy · 19/02/2021 07:22

I do worry because I have a pedigree pup but although she's quite rare, she's not actually one of the crazy expensive sought after breeds at the moment.
Our garden isn't easily accessible but they're never out there for more than a couple of minutes unsupervised.
I never leave dogs in the car.
I once left a dog tied up outside a shop and my partner was furious so I never did it again!
I have thought about a tracker because of recall but I guess it could be useful if she was stolen. Not sure where we'd put it that is discreet though, surely they'd check the dog thoroughly.

MrsToadlike · 19/02/2021 07:27

Yes I am concerned. There has been a spike in dog thefts since Xmas in our local area. And they're not just targeting 'designer' breeds either in our area. As a result I'm no longer walking our dog, my OH does that now. So very sad.

Leonberger · 19/02/2021 07:28

Ours are an uncommon breed and not many know what they are but I’m still worried yes.
They probably wouldn’t be able to snatch them as they are way too big but they could break in I suppose.

Not sure what you can actually do to prevent it though.

LarsErickssong · 19/02/2021 07:31

Yes I am and trying not to walk them on my own at the minute, we have 2 standard poodles so they look desirable and expensive. In my local woods yesterday a man was seen hiding behind trees filming and taking pictures of people walking their dogs, obviously he might not be planning to steal them but still doesn't seem innocent to me...

LarsErickssong · 19/02/2021 07:38

Also to people saying 'I don't leave them outside the shop' and 'they're supervised in the garden' all the thefts in my local area have been whilst people have been walking them in broad daylight.

sandgrown · 19/02/2021 07:39

@Serin I also have a PITA Shih Tzu that they would soon want to return. He also thinks he is a big dog and would put up a fight ! I still walk him at night but haven’t been unduly worried. Three French bulldogs went missing in this area in separate incidents and all of them were found drowned in lakes and rivers. Apparently they can’t swim due to the size of their heads and their short noses.

Devastatedyetagain · 19/02/2021 07:42

Yes I am concerned! My old girl would not have let anyone near me or her but now have a new pup - not a common, popular breed but having seen the prices being charged on sites like Preloved etc, I'm not sure that matters.

bettertimesarecomingnow · 19/02/2021 07:43

Nah, nobody would want my crossbreed mutt with metal hips!

But even if I had a very expensive pedigree dog I wouldn't make me worry because of where I live

MaryIsA · 19/02/2021 07:52

Not where I live. We bought her a year ago for £600, cockerpoo, they are £3k now. Not the breeder we bought from, she has closed her list.

StillGoingToWork · 19/02/2021 07:58

I'm not a dog owner but love dogs (and cats!) and plan to have a dog at a time when I can look after it properly. Dog theft is heinous. Dogs are part of the family and loved like a child or sibling. To have one stolen is heartbreaking. This story made me so angry and is local to me metro.co.uk/2021/01/14/dad-devastated-after-dog-who-helped-his-depression-stolen-in-attack-13906854/ I can see why pp are investing in more personal security and increasing security for their doggy-based businesses. It's appalling. Much love to everyone who has lost their doggy friend

Icequeen01 · 19/02/2021 07:59

I live in Kent and there is so much dog theft here at the moment. Sometimes when the poor dogs have been luckily enough to be found they have wounds in their necks where they have cut out their chips. It's horrifying that humans could do this to a defenceless animal.

Mummyoflittledragon · 19/02/2021 08:00

Yes, my dogs are desirable breeds neutered but young. I’m disabled. I wouldn’t stand a chance if someone wanted to steal them. I told a man the cutest dog’s names maybe a month ago then realised my stupidity and continued she’s been spayed so no puppies for us. Have kept a look out for him him since and he’s clearly from the village but I just hadn’t noticed him. I sighed in relief when I saw he was part of the community and just being friendly.

dontdisturbmenow · 19/02/2021 08:03

I'm not convinced it's gone up that much, I think it's just much more publicised on social media than before.

I also think a number of dogs reported stolen are dog who escaped and have gone missing, which has always happened.

I have a very cute dog which breed is hard to get by, but I'm not really worried.

BabyAlexander · 19/02/2021 08:08

@bettertimesarecomingnow

Nah, nobody would want my crossbreed mutt with metal hips!

But even if I had a very expensive pedigree dog I wouldn't make me worry because of where I live

That's what I thought too. I always thought we lived somewhere this would never happen. My DH had only nipped out to the village clothes bank and took the dog with him for a quick stroll afterwards. Out of nowhere appeared two men with knives. They don't care whether the dog is desirable, spayed or not. They'll use them for baiting, breeding or just sell them on.

Els1e · 19/02/2021 08:11

Yes, I am more careful. My dog is not a highly desirable type but even so, is probably worth more than we paid for him. The only shop I’ve ever tied him outside is the village store but I don’t do that now. Having read these, I’m wondering if I should do more about the garden. It’s fenced and gated but anyone could walk in.

Newusernames · 19/02/2021 08:15

Yup very anxious about this. We have a small poodle cross and was followed by a car a few weeks ago when walking him alone. Car had driven past four times - luckily my DH came to get us and we made sure we weren’t followed home. This was on our main street so they are certainly bold. Similar thing happened yesterday to a neighbour.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 19/02/2021 08:20

No, I'm not more anxious than at anytime before.

While I absolutely believe dog theft is on the rise, I also believe there's a hell of a lot scaremongering that goes on too. Our local police have posted several times saying that certain "reports" of dogs being stolen or attacked and reported to the police are completely false and that they've never received any such reports!

It's always important to remember that anyone can write anything on social media. Yes, be vigilant. Yes, never leave your dogs unattended or out of sight but you should be doing all of those things anyway, regardless of the risk of theft.

lotsofdogshere · 19/02/2021 08:21

After 40 years of rescue and foster dogs, I brought a ten month old spaniel home almost 2 years ago. Our lovely old labradoodle died last year. We waited for a lab pup from a reputable breeder, he’s 4mminths old. So we went from a house full of rescue cross breeds to a house wIth breeds most likely to be stolen. The spaniel is spayed but a thief wouldn’t know that and the pup of course entire.
I’m not scared to walk them on or off lead but I’m cautious about where I go.
The lockdown dog thing has fed theft. It would help if dogs weren’t seen as commodities. The breed charity I volunteer with hasn’t seen the expected influx of puppies/young dogs as people go back to work, or realise how much effort, time and cash dogs need. Instead of relinquishing to foster care, assessment and adoption, people are selling. It’s treating dogs like cars, you don’t want it, you sell it.

Hagqueen · 19/02/2021 08:28

Yep, absolutely terrified, probably disproportionally so.

I have a rape alarm too. I’m not particulary fit or strong, I know I will not be able to stop anyone physically taking her from me.

She’s young and ‘cute’ and very friendly, as well as popular at the moment.

Kpo58 · 19/02/2021 08:31

3 spaniel type dogs have been stolen near me. If I had a dog I would be worried about walking it.

I don't think enough is being done to stop this or the punishments harsh enough. If you steal a dog and if the police can actually be bothered to investigate, at most you will get a slap on the wrists.

katienana · 19/02/2021 08:37

Not heard anything locally but my dog is an unspayed toy poodle and they are going for over £3k at the moment. So I'm vigilant but not overly worried.

CurlyReds · 19/02/2021 08:40

I voted YABU because I haven’t become more afraid in the past year. It’s been like this for a long time. 20 years ago it was a different world and your dog was pretty safe, but I’d say the past 10 years it’s been unsafe to let your dog out in the garden unsupervised. Previously when someone followed me in the street I thought they were stalking me - now I think they’re after my dog.

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