Dog owners encouraged to report thefts after increase in social media posts about dogs being stolen

The Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, has provided some helpful advice on how to keep your pet safe

Greater Manchester Police is encouraging people to report any information relating to dog thefts, or attempted thefts, due to rising social media concerns about dogs being stolen.

The force says that whilst it has received ‘some’ reports of dog thefts, it doesn’t believe there has been a significant increase over the past year, which is in line with other forces across the UK. It does however say there has been an increase in social media activity about dogs being stolen, which is causing communities to become concerned.

In light of raised national concerns around pet theft, GMP is exploring adding functionality to its system to record such incidents, which will allow it to monitor any increases and decreases in pet theft in the future and allocate resources accordingly.

Superintendent Ben Ewart from GMP said: “During the pandemic the popularity of owning a dog and the price of buying a dog has increased.

"Dogs are like a member of the family and the thought that we could lose a dog in this way is worrying. It is an emotive subject but we hope that by sharing crime prevention advice, it will help to ease people’s concern.

"I would like to encourage anyone with any information, whether that is seeing some suspicious activity relating to dogs or attempted thefts, to report it to us either by calling 101 or reporting it online at gmp.police.uk. The information passed to us is looked into and taken seriously."

Opal (National Intelligence Unit for Serious Organised Acquisitive Crime) has reported: "The profile of dog theft has been significantly raised via various platforms including news outlets and social media however research suggests that that the volume of offences has remain relatively stable.

"A survey found that 94% of respondents had seen reports of dog theft on social media but only 0.34% had a dog stolen over the past 12 months."

The Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, has provided some helpful advice on how to keep your pet safe:

• Many dogs are taken from homes and gardens every year so making sure our gardens are secure along with our homes, is a priority for dog owners. Ideally a dog shouldn’t be left on their own in the garden. 
• Never leave your dog unattended when you’re out and about and always keep them in sight. Never leave them alone in a car.  
• Make sure they are trained to come back to you, however distracted they might be. 
• Ensure your dog is microchipped. Having your dog microchipped, and keeping your contact details up to date, gives you the best chance of having your dog returned to you if the worst happens. 
• Walk in well-lit areas, vary your routes and be aware of your surroundings.

A Dogs Trust representative said: “We understand that dog owners are increasingly concerned about dog theft. Our dogs play such a huge and important part in our lives and when they are taken it is absolutely heart breaking.

“Given the high demand for dogs in recent months and the increase in prices, it is only natural to be worried."  

You can find further help and advice on the GMP website here.