DOGS WHO GET STOLEN

Believe it or not, there are some very bad, horrible people in the world who will steal someone else's dog.  These people will steal a dog right out of a yard or a car or a house or a dog park.  They might take a dog who is tied up outside a store or even snatch the leash away from someone who is walking a dog.

Why would a person do something bad like this?  Well, there are several reasons, and I will tell you some of them.
(1) People might want to sell the dog over the internet or at a flea market or someplace and make money.

(2) If the dog's owner offers a reward, the person who stole the dog can say they found it and claim the reward.
(3)  They might just want a dog for themselves or for their kids, and they don't want to pay to buy or adopt one.
(4)  They might want to use the dog as a "bait dog" for dog fighting.

The dogs that get stolen most often are small breeds such as Yorkies and Pomeranians.  These breeds are  easy to hide and since they are popular, it's easy to sell them later.

The AKC says that in the first 7 months of 2011, 224 dogs were reported stolen.  In the same 7 months of 2010, only 150 dogs were stolen.  The total for 2010 was 255 dogs, which is up from 162 in 2009 and 71 in 2008.  The reason for this increase in dog-nappings is probably due to the bad economy and people looking for ways to make money.

So how can you keep someone from stealing your dog?  Well, first of all, you have to pay attention to where your dog is and to what he or she is doing.  You should keep your dog on a leash, so that it will stay close to you.  Also you shouldn't leave your dog by itself in the yard for long periods of time, especially if your yard can be seen from the street.  And if you are at a dog park, you should watch your dog closely so that nobody can lure it away and steal it.

Another thing you shouldn't do is leave your dog in a car, even if the doors are locked.  Sometimes thieves just break the window and take the dog anyway.  And don't tie your dog up outside a store while you go inside.  It is very easy for somebody to just untie your dog and take it away with them.  If you are walking your dog and somebody makes a big fuss over it, don't brag about how much you paid for it or tell the person where you live.  That could be like a special invitation to come and steal the dog.

You should keep a collar and ID tags on your dog, plus also get a microchip.  And you need to have a photo of your dog handy so that you can make up "LOST" posters if you need to.  Which hopefully, you will never have to do!

So anyway, those are the sad facts and warnings about how your dog could get stolen, which is something you don't want to happen, of course.  And since your dog doesn't want it to happen either, he or she will thank you for watching out for dog thieves!