Dog-napping

[WithTeaTree]

A friend on Facebook shares literally every lost dog post going in the local area. There’s at least one new one every day, always in the local area. Are lost dogs actually that common? She also shares dozens of posts about dodgy people (usually men) trying to snatch dogs but the owner getting away just in time. Based on her posts the streets are awash with dognappers. Is that really the case???

Two dogs were nabbed by theives locally and were caught on CCTV running away with them. The police thankfully found them. It seems fairly common round here. My dog walker says it gets talked about a lot in groups shes in too.

They did a whole segment on it on BBC breakfast. Apparently is it very common.

Scumbags.

Interesting. I don’t have a dog, so I didn’t know. I’m surprised it’s so rife.

I can't believe people can stoop so low, dogs are like children they are part of the family. Sentences should be so much harsher given the level of distress caused. I also have fb friends who share numerous posts about stolen dogs daily sending me into a state of anxiety that dog nappers are everywhere waiting to pounce. I have had to block some people as I can't cope with it.

@Babyroobs

I can't believe people can stoop so low, dogs are like children they are part of the family. Sentences should be so much harsher given the level of distress caused. I also have fb friends who share numerous posts about stolen dogs daily sending me into a state of anxiety that dog nappers are everywhere waiting to pounce. I have had to block some people as I can't cope with it.

I've had to do the same. I joined groups for a couple of local lost/stolen dogs but had to leave as I was getting too anxious to walk DDog without DH!

It has become more common. The cost / value of dogs has shot up since lockdown, unfortunately.

The two labradors from Nantwich have been found and reunited with their owners.

There have been cases of it, more recently with the rise of prices of dogs. It's almost inevitable if something becomes easy to dispose of and is valuable, then people will want to pinch it for east cash.

However I do suspect that people jump straight to the stolen thought when it's actually escaped at times, because in some ways it's easier to accept.
I remember a local one who left the dog in the car with the window open and apparently they were stolen. They were found less than a mile away within 24 hours. They said it was because their fb posts had made it too hot to handle-I would suspect the dog had simply jumped out of the window and wandered off.
I've seen a number of stolen dog stories where I've wondered if there is more evidence that it was stolen that they haven't told because, to me, there's no more evidence of that than them escaping.

I have sympathy for genuine dog owners if their dogs got taken.

I have no sympathy for non-dog owners who bought a lockdown puppy for £3000, only for that to be pinched off them because they didn't know how to look after their dog.

Lockdown certainly upped the number of dognappings and how far they are willing to go. The man walking Lady Gaga's dogs was shot four times in the chest and though he survived is still in hospital after a month. His lungs keep collapsing it seems.