Dognapping

I've been reading in the papers recently about an alarming crime that's becoming rife in some parts of the UK - dognapping with menaces.

It seems as though some criminals have caught onto the fact that most dog owners will do just about anything to keep their pets safe. And that includes paying a ransom for their return after they've been stolen.

I've been hearing a number of reports about dogs that have been stolen from homes, gardens and even caravans. The thieves then keep watch locally, waiting for 'missing dog' posters to be put up. They then telephone to say that they've found the dog, but demand money for its safe return.

Most of the stories I've heard have concerned demands of £500 to £1000, but I did hear of one family who ended up paying £6000 for the safe return of their two golden retrievers. Apparently the thief had said that he knew they'd be able to afford that sort of money as he'd been watching their house and from the size of their property and the type of cars they drove he reckoned they were well off.

I can't even begin to imagine how horrendous it would be to become a victim of this sort of crime. You'd be absolutely sick with worry about where your dog was and how it was being treated. And I suppose when you're in that sort of situation you'd do anything to get your dog back.

What kind of sick b*****d indulges in this sort of vile behaviour?

But more to the point, what can you do to guard against it happening to you?

The honest answer is, I really don't know. It simply isn't practical for me to have my dogs go everywhere with me. So I suppose that if someone was intent on stealing my dogs they'd only have to watch me until I left them unattended and then make their move.

I guess all you can do is be vigilant. Keep your eyes open and be alert to anybody behaving suspiciously, especially if they seem to be taking a particular interest in your dog.

Try not to leave your dog unattended for any longer than you absolutely have to.

If you don't already have them, look into fitting alarms and other security devices to anywhere you might leave your dog.

Have you - heaven forbid - been a victim of this extortion? Or do you know anybody who has?

And do you have any suggestions as to how to keep your dog safe from thieves? If you can think of anything at all that might help, please email me with your suggestions so I can pass them on to all my other subscribers - let's all try and help each other on this one.

Send your suggestions to me at - andrew@dogtrainingbluepint.com

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