Stolen dogs/pets....

[ACooper]

Wow. Has anyone noticed a rash of this going on lately? I mean, yes, I know it ALWAYS goes on/happens but it seems like it's happening a CRAZY amount in my area (NW Indiana) in the last couple months!

I see the pleading ads on facebook and craig's list constantly: "Our foo foo went missing out of the car".... "out of the locked back gate".......a few I've even seen claim they were taken right out of the house!

WTF?

99.9% of these of course are small, friendly type pure breds that they can probably move quickly for cash with an ad in the paper or craig's list. Kind of makes me glad Orson hates people he hasn't been previously & properly introduced to.

Anyone else noticing an increase of this kind of junk around your area?

 

[Assamiea]

Most of the missing pets in my area have been cats (usually outdoor cats), but I have't noticed an increase in lost or stolen pets in Toronto; however in Stouffville (about 25 minutes from where I live) lots of cats have been going missing and then are being found decapitated (they've found mostly heads near a school and a daycare, one poor woman found her cat's head at the bottom of her driveway). The cops are looking into it and have ruled out wildlife. There was a thing about it on the news yesterday, but I found out from a friend who lives just around the corner from where the cats are being found that this has been going on since mid August.

I'm always paranoid about someone taking Baxter. He's small, fluffy, and loves everyone. Would be pretty easy to flip him quickly on kijiji or craigslist. That's why our gates are locked with pad locks and someone always goes out with the dogs when they're in the back or side yard. Rocky would be much more difficult, not many people are looking for a crusty old Yorkie.

 

[*blackrose]

I haven't necessarily seen a rash of pet thievery in our area, but one of my mom's coworkers almost had her three mini Aussies stolen. She was out in the yard (she's on a farm in the country) and the dogs took off toward the yard, barking. Some dude had stopped his hatchback truck and was calling for the dogs. As soon as the owner saw him she hollered and he jumped in his truck and took off. When she reported it to the police, they said they had gotten other calls from different areas, all describing the same truck.

Mom was worried about Abrams, since I take him pretty much everywhere with me (and at times leaving him in the car) and he's purebred.

 

[ruffiangirl]

there are way more missing cat adds this year here then ever before, but talking to the vets in the area they believe its due to wild animals eating them.

 

[Snark]

We have had 'bunchers' come through every few years, although (knock on wood) haven't heard much lately. They were taking purebreds right out of people's yards, one woman I know let her dog out to potty in the yard and he was snatched in that short time frame.

My dogs are confined in a fenced area and are not friendly to strangers. They'll bark their heads off, which alerts my neighbor, who comes over to see what's going on. Most of the other people along our road let their dogs run loose but since the area is rural, most dogs stay on their property.

 

[Greenmagick]

To be fair, I dont think all "stolen" dogs are actually stolen. I think many jumped fences, or otherwise escaped but their owners dont see proof so call them stolen.

That is NOT to say dog theft doesnt happen...it certainly does. I know of multiple malamutes that were all stolen around a cluster of time Danes were targeted in my area last year as well

 

[ACooper]

I would agree with that Green, but I would also believe the flip side is true. I know some folks who thought their dog ran away and it turned out to be part of a larger theft in the area and their dog was stolen along with 2 other dogs......thank goodness all were found and made it home safe!

Honestly, if I left Orson out in his kennel (located inside privacy fence so double secure) and came out to find him missing, theft would NOT be first in mind. I would search the neighborhood thinking he found a way out and went on a joy run or something. Even though I'm pretty confident he could open neither his kennel door or the gate, I'd rather believe he did than think of a thief!

IDK....does that make sense? LOL, I'd rather think my dog is an asshat or mastermind than think an uninvited person has entered my property.

 

[Brattina88]

I agree, it does seem like a little bit of an influx. I know a distant relative who's house was broken into and her little dog stolen (and all their electronics jewelry etc) The bigger dog... The intruder/s killed that was a couple years back. I always see ads dog dogs are missing / presumed stolen.

I think it depends on the dog, too. If Bailey went mysteriously missing, I would lean towards theft. Only because I have people asking me constantly "how much?" And "I want your dog" and "if she gets out I'm keeping her" and even following me partway home on walks.... But also, she's Very velcro-y and she is always by my side. Always.

But Maddie? She'd be Walking herself or going exploring lol


What has always scared me is dogs that are never found... I mean, they have to be somewhere. The lady I mentioned before? Never found her little dog. The police never found out who did it, either.

 

[Aleron]

I have noticed in my area an influx of people thinking their dogs were stolen but very often the whole story doesn't turn out to indicate there is a reason to believe that. Just last week we were given a head's up at the grooming shop that "a woman ran into the post office and left her two Bichons in the car. When she came back out she had found that one was stolen!". The dog was found wandering loose a few days later. It seems much more likely that the dog jumped out of the car window and ran off. Similarly a client had felt their small dog was "stolen from the yard" but the dog was left loose and unsupervised in their unfenced yard. "We know she was stolen because she never leaves the yard". If you leave your dog loose, unsupervised and unsecured they might run off or get picked up by someone. IME dogs who are boundary trained to yards "never leave the yard"...until they do.


I'm not saying that people don't steal dogs, it does happen and it's certainly nothing new. But it seems in the age of the internet and story sharing that people tend to assume the worst about everything. Your dog is missing from the yard? "OMG someone stole him to use for bait to train dogs to fight!" Find a stray in bad shape? "OMG! He was so obviously abused and his owner so doesn't deserve him back!". One of my co-workers ties her dog out on and off during the day at the grooming shop. There's a small backyard area that our shop and the pizza shop next door open out into with a privacy fence around one side against the building and the back but the rest if open. The next building over is a drug store with a drive thru window. Twice now, people have gotten really overly concerned about the dog being tied outside. Questioning if anyone takes care of her, why she doesn't have shelter other than the door overhang, why there's no food or water, why she's tied up outside at all and other assorted things that are really none of their business. She is a clean, chubby dog with tags tied up behind a business (a dog business) that's back door is open. I told my co-worker to put a large sign out thanking people for their concern and assuring them that the dog is well cared for, loved and put outside when she demands to be and let back in when she demands to be. People seem to believe everyone is a potential animal abuser and no dog is safe, not even from their owners.