Do you own a pedigree? Are you fearful of your dogs being targeted by thieves?

[Disenchanted3]

There was a 60 year old woman last week walking her 7 and 2 year old pugs, 2 men approached her and tried to take the leads, she screamed and so one of the men pushed the pensioner to the ground whilst the other grabbed the younger dog. The got off in a car.

This along with a thread I read elsewhere on 'travellers' stealing dogs has got me worried.

I have 2 pugs and am often asked 'where did you get them, are they expensive etc'

Sometimes its just friendly women with kids but there are times when I feel intimidated, like yesterday when a 'out of it' looking woman with a huge bullmastiff off the lead asked me the same questions.

I'm thinking of starting to say they have serious heart problems to anyone asking to put them off, huge vet bills aren't disirable to anyone.

Its awful that people would steal our pets

Blimey, how awful

My dog is an expensive pedigree and is quite 'desirable' from an objective point of view. For this reason I wouldn't leave him in a car anywhere and certainly not tied up outside a shop or anything like that.

I've never been worried about him being stolen from me while we were out walking or anything though, I have to say.

I have one - with one eye and an obvious hip condition she isnt very stealable though.

Awww pft I have a one eyed puggy friend

I never, ever leave my dogs anywhere, tied up, in a car, alone for 2 minutes when we are out of the house.

But there are so many crimes recently involving people stealing dogs in broad daylight that now I feel wary walking them alone, which is just shite because thats one of the best parts of havinga dog isn't it?

Its a shame when they lose something like an eye - she doesn't care. No depth perception though, frequently gets bonked on the head with a ball

We've had those worries too - but it all got a bit silly and we even stopped walking the dog to the shops. Then realised that it was the dog that was suffering as he loves being out and around people. So now we are sensible, and do our best but at the end of the day what will happen, will happen.

I worry about this too. We have a vizsla and one of the things I was looking forward to was walking her to the village shops. However, so many people have warned me about dog stealing recently that I now realise it probably isn't an option

I worried alot when my dog was little. He is a very handsome GSD (biased!!) but now I'm a bit more relaxed. We never leave him anywhere in the car or outside shops. Besides that I'm 99% sure he would go beserk if anyone tried to nick him. He's addicted to us.

Its a shame as I love pugs, not for their monitary worth but because we have always adored them as a breed but part of me thinks we would have been better off falling in love with a mongrol!

What an awfull thing to happen. That poor woman.

I used to have a pedigree Jack Russel but I don't think they are sought after. And a Pedigree SBT, but they are also very common and fairly cheap around here. Plus only a very dedicated or very stupid theif would brave stealing a Staffy surely?

My current mutt is exactly that a mutt.

My Dad has an Akita, but again only an idiot would try to steal such a large, powerfull and protective dog.

Shiney apparantly Staffys are very commonly taken as they are regarded as good fighting dogs Thing is most staffys with god owners are very soft, its only after they are taken,, forced to fight, starved and dumped that they are agressive creatures who can't be rehomed and are PTS

I have an expensive, pedigree, giant breed pup who seems to attract attention when we are out. The odd person has asked about how much they are to buy and I never give a straight answer.

I walk into the village with her if I'm going to shops she can come into (pet shop, bank etc) but wouldn't leave her tied up alone anywhere.

I understand alot of dogs are stolen for puppy farming, so young unneutered females are a particular target.

My cta has an extra tag on his collar stating that he has a digestive condtition and is on medication incase someone takes a fancy to him. YOu could do the same for pedigree dogs i.e neutered, dermatitus, needs medication.

That would put off theives, surely?

yes, the only time we can take them shopping is if we are going to the poet shop,

its bad really as we walk alot to the shops but cant risk them being left outside so they get garden/sep walks, but do miss out on miles everyday because of these fears.

I'm not worried, because although our dog has a pedigree longer than his arm, and his sire was Best of Breed twice at Crufts, he's got seasonal alopaecia so he tends to look a bit threadbare, poor sausage

I like the idea of a poet shop

I never leave ddog unattended when we're out. Tbh I don't worry about him being snatched because I (perhaps wrongly) assume that dog thieves would be more interested in a dog with balls still intact. I think if I had a smaller, more easily snatchable breed (like a pug or chihuahua) it would be more of a worry

I have a PBGV which in theory is a fairly expensive pedigree (we rescued him as an adult) but looks so scruffy that people always assume he is a mongrel (usual guess is westie/spaniel). So I doubt that, unless they were looking for one in particular, anyone would think to steal him. We've never been asked how expensive he is though, maybe that would set alarm bells ringing.

It also has never occurred to me that he might be taken and I frequently tie him up outside a shop (if I'm popping in for a paper or something, not big shop) or the bank. I don't think dog theft is happening locally where I live, and you couldn't really get a less tough dog for fighting, so I don't think I'll start to worry unless this changes (the crime wave, not the toughness, I would welcome a slight change in his toughness especially on "terrifying" wheelie bin night)!

We've had an animal stolen, to a good home as it happens thank goodness and I could try and retrieve him but it seems unfair to the animal now.
I guess microchipping might help and you can buy GPS systems I believe.

What's a PBGV?

Milly they stole him to a good home?

You mean the family he is with now stole him or he was stole and sold unknowingly to them?

We have been warned about this as Daphne is a Maltese/Cavalier King Charles but looks like a pure bred Maltese. Her brothers are much larger and more mongerely looking.

I do leave her occasionally but worry a bit and am as quick as possible.

The family he is with now stole him, made out they thought he was a stray and didn't hand him in to a vets or police, we only found out when a child who knew him went to play at the new families house.

Yes she is microchipped, but that doesn't always help. Puppies are a particular target because they won't be neutered until they're mature and I'm sure thieves know this.

I used to leave my last dog outside the school gates etc, as long as I could keep an eye on her. I knew she would have made a real fuss if anyone tried to take her.

MillyMollyMoo that's awful!
How did they manage to steal him? Do you think they targeted him in particular?

No I don't think he was targeted as such just that they got lucky finding such an expensive and more to the point beautiful animal and kept him in their house so he couldn't find his way home, he is literally at the top of the road and left a bit.
We put up posters etc and when we contacted the insurance company they took legal action on our behalf but when it came down to it the animal voted with his feet, he'd been with them longer than us you see

I do worry a bit. I keep him locked in the house when I nip out and if he is in the front garden I waon't leave him unattended - I make sure I can see him at all times so I can call him to me if need be.
He is big theough so couldn't easily be nicked against his will