The AKC reported 30 dog thefts for January-March 2008, compared to 10 in the entire year for 2007.
I don’t know the rest of the trend (maybe 2007 was a really low year?) but the AKC is worried and so am I.
Some of the thefts are from breeders or pet stores, so most of us have nothing to worry about there. “Incidents have included armed robbers entering a breeder’s home, tiny puppies being stuffed into purses at pet stores and most recently, purebred pets being snatched from cars in parking lots and even shelters.”
I have to imagine that those of us with mixed-breed dogs don’t report thefts to the AKC, so there are probably more than 30 thefts.
Some tips to keep your dog safe? For starters, know where your dog is at all times if they are outside, don’t leave them in a yard with an unlocked fence unattended, and don’t tie them up while you go inside a store if you can’t watch them all the time. Last year, I know a dog was stolen from a car near Seattle, so always lock your car if the dog is inside – and of course, don’t leave a dog in a car when it’s even a little warm out, for a different safety risk. Cars heat up faster than you think!
Even without worrying if your dog will be stolen, leaving them in the yard all day can teach your dog to be the neighborhood barker, and getting honked at, tripped over, or deliberately kicked while tied up can create problems with fear and aggression. Dogs tied up outside in Seattle are technically “at large” according to Seattle’s legal code, so if your dog does bite or threaten someone, they’re doing so while breaking another rule…
There’s a big article on this on the website (click here).
I’m going to find some GOOD news for my next article. Anyone have some?
