An
uprise in pet adoptions came during the pandemic. Unfortunately, pet theft has
also risen due to criminals capitalizing on the demand for pandemic pups. In
2021 two French bulldogs (Koji and Gustav) belonging to famous singer Lady
Gaga, were stollen while on a walk in Los Angeles. The dog walker was injured
and hospitalized, but was able to keep one of the three dogs from being taken. Two
days after Lady Gaga offered a $500,000 reward the two dogs were returned. They
were found tied up in an alley and by a passerby who brought them to a local
police station. Why do these thieves go to such lengths?
Some pet thieves will resell dogs they have stolen for a hefty sum (especially for pure-bred dogs). Some will steal a dog and attempt to collect a reward from the owner. Sometimes it can even be a disgruntled neighbors looking to get rid of a pet they dislike.
Is your pup
at risk to be stolen? According to Tom Sharp,
president and CEO of AKC Reunite,
thefts often involve high-value dogs, for example Bulldogs and French Bulldogs, and smaller breeds such as Chihuahuas and Yorkshire Terriers. “These types of dogs are easy to grab and run with,” he
says. While there is a high demand for certain breeds, criminals looking for a
quick buck would likely settle for any unattended dog.
How do you make sure
this doesn’t happen to you and your precious fur baby?
§ Get them microchipped. This way if
they do go missing or get resold you or a veterinary facility can easily
identify them.
§ Get
them spayed or neutered. Dogs become less valuable and in turn less likely to
be targeted by thieves because they cannot be sold for breeding.
§ Avoid
keeping your dog loose or tethered in your yard for long periods of time
without supervision. If you have a fenced in yard and allow them to roam freely
for periods of time you may consider installing security cameras to catch
anyone who may try to take them from the yard.
§ Use a leash
as a safety net (even if they are well behaved off leash) so that they cannot
run off and end up in the hands of a dog thief.
Do not wait! You may think you should wait around
to see if they will come back on their own but, if you suspect your dog is
missing or has been stolen you should take action to find them/report the
missing pet right away. Remember: keep a recent photo of your dog in case they
ever do go missing, and make sure to keep your contact information on their
tags and microchip up to date.
*The
Lost Dogs of America (LDOA) organization was established in 2011, and shortly
after in 2013 they established National Lost Dog Awareness Day.
