Nine out of ten dog owners fear for their pet’s safety

51% of dogs stolen are never found or recovered

Staffordshire Bull Terriers identified as most at risk

More than nine out of 10 dog owners fear their beloved pet may be stolen, and a similar number believe that the only effective deterrent in preventing dog thefts is mandatory imprisonment for convicted offenders.

In a survey of 5,000 dog owners by online pet medication and food retailer VioVet, 98% of respondents were worried that their dog could be stolen and 96% perceive that the number of dogs stolen in the last 12 months has risen.

The figures, launched to coincide with the VioVet Pet Theft Awareness Week, show that 125 dogs have been stolen from VioVet customers in the last 12 months but only five of those thefts resulted in the criminal being caught and convicted. More than half (51%) of dogs that are stolen are never found or returned.

The most popular breeds to be targeted are Staffordshire Bull Terriers (10%), Spaniels (10%) German Shepherds (8%) and Labrador Retrievers (6%).

More than half (54%) of all dogs stolen are taken from the home or a kennel, a worrying trend, with almost a quarter (21%) stolen when out walking or when the animal is tied up outside a shop. A small proportion of dogs (6%) are taken from cars.

Of those whose dogs have been stolen, almost half (48%) believe that their pet was taken to be sold for profit or for breeding, and an alarming 18% for use in dog fighting or baiting.

In terms of the measures owners take to protect their dogs, most (78%) never leave their dogs unattended whilst out or in the garden. A small percentage (8%) have CCTV installed and only 2% say that they do not currently take any measures to keep their animals safe.

John Cousins, Director of VioVet, says that the law needs to be much tougher to deter pet thieves and sending offenders to prison would send a hard hitting message: “The perception is that dog thefts are increasing and that the punishment for those few that are caught and convicted is much too lenient,” he says.

“In the UK dogs are seen in official circles as inanimate objects of no greater importance than a wheelbarrow or an iPad, and this has to change,” he continues.

Arnot Wilson of The Dog Union, an organisation that campaigns for the health and welfare of dogs agrees: “Dogs are considered by more than 99% of those surveyed as part of the family, and as such pet theft needs to be taken more seriously,” he says.

VioVet’s survey and campaign coincides with a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to nine major police forces across the country that suggests that 91% of ALL pets (including dogs, cats, fish and birds) that are stolen are never returned.

The Viovet Pet Theft Awareness Week took place between March 14-21. It involved a week of campaigning to highlight the issue of pet theft across the UK and provide practical help, support and advice to owners of dogs, cats, fish, birds, reptiles and small mammals in how to protect their pets from criminal harm. It also set out to highlight specific issues, such as microchip scanning, and lobbying government on best practice in the scanning of missing or stolen pets.