Hi everyone

Just noticed this on the BBC website. It seems Staffordshire bull terriers in particular are being targetted by thieves.

The statistics are alarming the Metropolitan Police document shows there was a 74% rise in stolen dogs across the London area last year, from 239 to 417, with many taken as puppies.

Staffordshire Bull Terriers made up 56% of all the dogs stolen.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6365759.stm

:shocked: :shocked: oh dear :( :(

Someone asked me why I was after a pub that allowed dogs inside a while ago... they said "why don't you just tie him up outside?!" when I said that someone might steal him, they were like "why would anyone do that?? :confused: "

Just goes to show you can never be too careful :(

its a well known fact that over the past couple of years smack rats have been stealing pedigree dogs to order..staffs are a very popular pet so it doesn't suprise me that they top the "shopping lists" of the dirty theiving scum.

its a well known fact that over the past couple of years smack rats have been stealing pedigree dogs to order..staffs are a very popular pet so it doesn't suprise me that they top the "shopping lists" of the dirty theiving scum.

Just you keep an eye on your dog.....MY dog ;) x

Just you keep an eye on your dog.....MY dog ;) x

i don't have to..he'd maul em to death:hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi:

Now how do they separate out the 'stolen' dogs from the 'lost' when the system for finding a lost dog is so flaming abysmal? :rant:

I don't deny that dogs are stolen, but given the fact that the police are not in the least bit interested in a lost dog (most of the time), I'd be surprised if people weren't reporting a dog as stolen when it really should be reported as lost

The other thing the stats don't say, is how much of the dog population these dogs make up. If the proportion of dogs owned being staffies is 56%, you'd expect the figure to be 56% of them in the stolen figures ;)

I know this seems a little cold but does pet insurance cover dognapping.

It does - well it does if they are lost

It usually covers fees for advertising and such like, and I think replacement - only to the value of a new pup - not the replacement of the value of a champion show dog or stud dog

Mine has a loss by theft or straying - I would get the price I paid for her - up to £1000. If the dog is free you would get a estimated value.
You would have to check with individual policies though.

Mine also has an advertising & reward clause in it too - paying for flyers etc & a reward. Again up to £1000 (per year)

Lets stop with the silliness & try & get back on topic - this is a serious subject.

I was being serious it is another good reason for insuring your dog

I know - that's why I answered you - look up :)

Dog theft is very high - and its growing

these dogs stolen end up being used (usually) for 2 reasons.

As bait - for tougher dogs to be used as fighting - hence why they would nick staffies cos they would give them a bit of a scrap. However (and i won't be too graffic here) these LOW LIFE SCUM BAG manage to make it so that their 'fighting' dog doesn't get hurt. I will leave the rest to the imagination.

Others that are stolen are often pedigrees. they will almost certainly be sold as breeding bitches - sometimes breeding stud dogs - and literally used to breed until worn out. The conditions these dogs are kept in are atrocious.

However, nobody does anything about it, cos its not their dog thats got taken. Nobody does anything about puppy farms - cos they don't see it. Meanwhile - it still goes on. In fact in wales - puppy farmers even get GRANTS to change over from livestock farming. No welfare conditions enforced or ever checked.

Dogs are stolen out of gardens, cars, tied up outside shops - anywhere and these are proper thefts. Sometimes they will even be stolen to order.

Never ever leave your dog unattended.

As bait - for tougher dogs to be used as fighting - hence why they would nick staffies cos they would give them a bit of a scrap. However (and i won't be too graffic here) these LOW LIFE SCUM BAG manage to make it so that their 'fighting' dog doesn't get hurt. I will leave the rest to the imagination.
:cry: :cry: oh it makes me feel sick :cry:

Gadget and I had a horrible walk last night... maybe I was being paranoid after hearing all this on the radio all day, but I was quite shaken up...
I went to walk him at 5:45pm just as it was getting dark - we got to the park & there was a bloke hanging around the playground area on a bike. He circled round then left. About 1 minute later he returned with 2 mates... who started whistling Gadget over contantly :o they were shouting something at me too - but my hearing is rubbish & I couldn't work out what they were saying; it was just general heckling noise to me.
I marched in the opposite direction to them as quick as I could and Gadget came with me (although he kept glancing back like "ooh I wanna go play with them, they're calling me...) they never stopped whistling the whole time.

Now logically I thought they may not necessarily have been doing it for sinister reasons, but surely anyone who 'just wanted to play with him' would have stopped whistling once they saw how obviously uncomfortable it was making me?? :|

So there I was, quite nervous and shaken, and had to find somewhere else to walk Gadget in the dark on my own :rolleyes:

I am SO glad that he has Waggytails coming tthis afternoon ;) I couldn't cope with a repeat of that tonight :(

Don't forget that the motivation in some cases like yours Katie, isn't to steal the dog, but to intimidate a lone female :mad:

Does Gadget have an extending lead you could use for walking in the dark? or better still, attach a washing line to his collar and leave it trailing - allowing him to have his usual romp, but giving you a great distance to still have absolute control over him, by stamping on it if necessary ;)

Don't forget that the motivation in some cases like yours Katie, isn't to steal the dog, but to intimidate a lone female :mad:
Yeah thats what I would usually assume, but cos of all the press that day I got really scared they were gonna take my baby!! Funny, the thought of that scared me much more :(

Does Gadget have an extending lead you could use for walking in the dark? or better still, attach a washing line to his collar and leave it trailing - allowing him to have his usual romp, but giving you a great distance to still have absolute control over him, by stamping on it if necessary ;)
Yes he does but its only 2.5m so I might use the washing line idea from now on ;) Its a shame cos that Park used to feel like the 'safest' near me cos it's well lit & quite enclosed. I'm so glad that there are only a couple of weeks of 'dark walks' left :)

Phone the police on 2202020 and let them know about this Katie

Don't tell them you suspect dog theft, as they won't be in the least bit interested, but tell them you as a lone female found them intimidating - can you be sure the whistles and calls weren't directed at yourself, so don't say it was aimed at your dog, just that they whistled and called?

The fact a lone male left and returned with mates is of concern in this scenario :mad:

Phone the police on 2202020 and let them know about this Katie

Yes I will. I didn't think to before, cos I have absolutely no way of describing them... but it's still worth letting them know :thumbsup:

Don't worry about it - your report can be added to any other calls they get, and may result in an officer being deployed in the area for a while :)

Don't worry about it - your report can be added to any other calls they get, and may result in an officer being deployed in the area for a while :)
Done :thumbsup: they were very nice and took all the details etc & said 'dont hesitate to call if anything like that happens again'
I'm not going back to that park again for a while though!

I know - that's why I answered you - look up :)

Sorry must be the day Im having lol

Sorry must be the day Im having lol

Keep your chin up Kiddo :)