Since lockdown and the move to working from home, the demand for dogs has skyrocketed, with the price for puppies doubling over the last year. According to the Dog’s Trust report, the price of Dachshunds went up by 112% between March and August 2020 and the price of Beagles by 157%! Unfortunately, this has also led to a dramatic rise in dog thefts as breeders struggle to keep with the demand and thieves take advantage of the shortage.
In fact, it’s estimated that dog thefts have gone up by 250%, and that many dogs that have been reported as lost have actually been stolen. Police believe that organised gangs are stealing puppies to sell and adult dogs for breeding purposes as a way to make a quick profit.
Homes and back gardens are the most common locations for dogs to be stolen from, but there are increasing reports of dogs being snatched whilst out on a walk and owners even being attacked and dogs being taken by force.
What can owners do to keep their dog safe?
Losing a dog is a traumatic and life-changing event and whilst the figures are scary, there are steps you can take to try and keep your dogs safe to prevent the worst from happening…
- Never leave you dog outside unsupervised, especially tied up outside shops
- Train your dog to return to you when called and never let them off the lead if you’re not 100% sure they’ll come back to you. This is especially important if you’re in an unfamiliar area
- Regularly switch up your walking routine, going out at different times and walking different routes
- Try walking with a buddy rather than alone
- Don’t leave your dog alone in a car, even for a few seconds. Thieves have been known to break into cars and steal dogs
- Ensure your dog is wearing a collar and ID tag with your name, address, and phone number on it
- Make sure your dog is microchipped and the details are kept up to date, especially if you move home
- Keep your dog in view in the garden, don’t just leave them out there on their own
- Secure your garden and home with security lights, locks and even a security camera
- If your dog sleeps outside at night, make sure their kennels are as secure as possible
- Have plenty of up to date pictures of your dog taken from multiple angles, including any distinguishing features
How Pawfit can help
Having your dog wear a tracker is one of the best things you can do for peace of mind.
As well as being an activity monitor, Pawfit 2 is a highly accurate location tracker which can be worn securely on your dog’s collar day and night and their location viewed via the free Pawfit mobile app. Using GPS technology, Pawfit 2 tracks and updates your dog’s location every 30 seconds to 2 minutes but when your dog is out of sight, Live Tracking can be switched on to update their location every 5 seconds. Pawfit 2 also has additional security measures designed to give owners peace of mind that their dog is safe.
In the Pawfit mobile app, you can create a virtual fence around your home and whenever your dog leaves that area, you’ll get an instant mobile alert. Plus, you’ll also receive a mobile alert whenever Pawfit is removed from your dog’s collar as well as the location the tracker was removed.
For more information please visit www.pawfit.com
