just a warning for fellow dog owners of all breeds, but specifically the one's outlined in the attached news story...
I'm sure everyone is very careful, but it just highlights how prevelant dog thefts have been over the last year or two....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6365759.stm

Hi

Thanks for this important reminder. I have a Staffie and while I know its important to know about these increases it just terrifies me.
What can we do to be "careful" as you suggest, apart from chipping, not leaving pets outside shops etc?  :) Perhaps we can start a CD'ers dog safety campaign!

I wonder where the majority of dogs are stolen from?

Caroline x

That is horrible it is like they are a stereo or tv not a member of the family how upsetting to loose your dog this way

If you mean the wider area, I think this report is specific to London.  But I don't know anything more specific than that.  I can only guess that it might be from people's gardens, cars and I've also heard people being confronted in the street and made to hand the dogs over.. but I believe that is quite rare.

I think your suggestion pretty much covers all that we can do to be honest.  Don't leave dogs in the car, don't leave them outside a shop, and be aware when out walking.
Yes, it's a worry!

It is south east, south west & central also the yorkshire area. It is saver when walking your dogs to go with someone else. Never leave then alone in your garden.

It seems to be country wide, and its been happening for years. Some groups target people with puppies for sale, go and view, then they know the set up. The pups are either snatched at the time (lone female, or one with young children, less likely to fight back) or they watch your movements and 'pop back' later. A few years ago a very nice looking dog was stolen from his garden, trouble was he suffered with something needing medication, and also he was casterated. The latter must have been in his favour, coz he was dumped back a few days later. Yes, back in the garden! Thin and a little poorly, but he did recover.

I read this story yesterday and thought part of it paradoxical.

1) Staffies are more likely stolen than any other breed.  "There is the possibility that such dogs could be used by criminals such as drug dealers or stolen property handlers to protect their criminal assets at various locations including homes, outbuildings or cars."

2) If they are that easy to steal in the first place then why think they would make good guard dogs, especially if stolen from a normal family environment? "Veronica Brown, of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breed Council, says the breed's good nature - which runs contrary to popular opinion - may make them easier to steal" and "They're so people orientated that they will go with anyone, contrary to their reputation. They're happy to go off with people. They just love people"

I agree the news report seems somewhat contradictory. 

I think it's probably all to do with the way they 'look'... anyone who knows Staffords will also know their temperament (I hope) and the fact that they are such people orientated. 
So I agree I'm surprised that the criminal element do use staffords... actually the more I read your post Cheryl, the more I'm confused by the report!! lol

Unfortunatly, which is not mentioned, is I fear many are stolen for dog fighting or to be used as bait dogs.
Very evil and cruel to think of a poor much loved dog having its muzzle taped while fighting dogs rip it to shreds in practice.
Trouble is dog fighting is much more prevailant than is realised.

I was followed home a while ago after our walk.I came in,let the girls into the garden which has double gates at the bottom which are always bolted.I went about my bother and my daughter said the back gates had just opened.I ran out and luckily they were just outside.A black car which had been parked at the top of the street sped off and I knew then that someone had tried to steal them.I believe they opened the gates and waited at the top of the street to try and coax them into the car.
I phoned the police which was a complete waste of time.I never leave them in the garden unattended anymore.Its a sad world when you have to stand outside in the rain whilst your dogs go to the toilet for fear of someone stealing them :rolleyes:

I can understand your concerns, but as to the Police, I really don't see what they could have done in this situation. What I would say, is that if you are followed again, get the reg number of the car. If your dogs are at risk of being stolen, then staying with them is an excellent idea. Yes, it certainly is a damn sad world, thats true enough!:rolleyes: All we can do is stay aware of whos around us, and note any strange happenings. Be careful and very aware when walking off the beaten track, and if you do frequent quiet places, try to go with another person.

I'm afraid the logic of stealing Staffies above all others is lost on me.  I seem to be missing the point.

Why are Staffies being singled out?

I could understand it if Staffie puppies were being stolen or Staffie bitches for breeding purposes, but the numbers suggest that any Staff is at risk of being stolen.  Surely most Staffies have been raised in normal homes and wouldn't be fit for purpose (in-phrase ;) :D ) as far as fighting or guarding is concerned. As far as baiting is concerned, surely any dog will do for that, why single out a Staff?

Perhaps the number of Staffs is disproportionate to the overall dog population in the London area.  It would make more sense if more Staffs were stolen simply because more Staffs are owned in that area but the report doesn't give us any clues as to whether that might be the reason.  Whenever I've looked at Battersea dogs there seem to be a lot of Staffies overall.

I think all our dogs are at risk and the more friendly and approachable the dog is the more at risk they are. It makes more sense that dogs are stolen to sell on for drug money than fighting.

Maybe its because of the fact that these dogs, or dogs that look like them, are used by crims for their guarding purposes, with people being afraid of what they maydo, especially with all the adverse publicity lately. Didn't it used to be rotties, dobes and alsations?

Perhaps you're right.  Can't see it myself. 

If the Staffies are being stolen to guard or deter intruders what are the rest stolen for?  48% of stolen dogs are not Staffies. I'm guessing that what the majority of Staffs are stolen for the rest are stolen for too.

As far as baiting is concerned, surely any dog will do for that, why single out a Staff?

I think that it is actually the fact that Staffies ARE strong and therefore will last longer as bait than most other dogs......Put it bluntly, a Staffie will stay alive longer than say a Cavalier or Labrador. :(

I know there is still a problem with dog fighting but can you really attribute that number of Staffies to fighting alone?

Some dogs are stolen and then the owner is rung to say the dog has been found and asked what reward is being offered In certain areas of the country this is a regular occurrence - if you look at the DogLost site many a "found" dog has been returned to the owner after paying a substantial reward.

In one particular area there is a place where several dogs have been recovered from and the police are involved.

Heard of that too Harley. Some nasty folk around. Makes me wonder too if there is some foreign market for them, whatever breed they are. Don't know how they would smuggle them over, or the costs involved, but I guess a crim mind will always find a way. Sometimes wonder with the 'need a new home' ads on the more, em ,risky ad sites, or the free papers, if they may have been stolen at one time. You never can tell. maybe the puppy farms, and I mean the real  puppy farms, take them in and use them for a couple of years. It is strange where they actually go though.

I've heard of that happening too Harley.. ransom money as it were.... awful :-(

I know there is still a problem with dog fighting but can you really attribute that number of Staffies to fighting alone?

probabaly a mixture of all the suggested reasons given here at a guess.. fighting, breeding, ransom...

makes me so mad, there are enough dodgy breeders out there as it is...

>Some dogs are stolen and then the owner is rung to say the dog has been found and asked what reward is being offered

Aha, that makes much more sense.  If most Staffies are very friendly and love people they would be easy to steal.  They are a managable size too. I couldn't get my head around the guarding reason when only 4-5% of GSDs and Rotties are stolen.  It seemed a weird discrepancy if the Staffs were being stolen for guarding.

Not sure about stealing for sending abroad.  Why would you do that? 

It has happened, there was a big market there a few years ago.

I remember there being a period of time when it was  a big racket being done by criminal gangs from Asia shipping dogs from UK and US to Singapore ,malaysia, China and Japan where astronomical prices were being paid for "Western Pedigree dogs'.

The Bucks Free Press is doing a story on stolen dogs at the moment. Highlighting the Wycombe area if anybody wants to help them contact Miss Canavan.

Re: LOST DOGS

A local hero in Oxfordshire has just started up a group which is working with the police in surrounding counties - previously dog thefts were only dealt with by local police, now they link crimes together.
Do other areas have a similar scheme?

When we're not home and the dogs are...they are padlocked into their kennels and the back gate is also padlocked.  Surely this is common sense?  I can't imagine anything worse than a loved dog being stolen :( :( :(