Dognappers on the prowl at Sandringham
ANIMAL lovers exercising their pets at the Queen’s rural retreat in Norfolk have been warned of a threat from dognappers.
Officials at Sandringham, which is open to the public, issued the alert following a spike in thefts in the area.
‘We have been advised by local authorities that dog thieves are currently operating in our area of Norfolk,’ the estate warned in a post on its Facebook page.
‘Please be aware and ensure you have sight of your dog at all times and that they are not left unattended.’
The most famous local dog lover is the Queen, who has recently acquired two corgi puppies, after being left with only one remaining dorgi – a dachsund and corgi cross – since the end of last year.
And the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who live at Anmer Hall on the estate, are said to be ‘besotted’ with their new cocker spaniel puppy given to them by Kate’s brother, James Middleton.
The Sandringham estate has been the private home of four generations of royals since 1862, and its 600-acre Royal Park is open to the public, including dog walkers.
There were 52 dogs stolen in Norfolk last year. Recent victims include the chief constable of the local police force, Simon Bailey, though his pet was later recovered.
About ten dogs a day are stolen in Britain, with missing pet website DogLost reporting a 170 per cent increase in the number missing since the start of the pandemic, from 172 in 2019 to 465 in 2020.
And freedom of information data from 24 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales shows that from March to June, thefts rose by 65.5 per cent compared with the same period last year. Campaigners warn that dognappers are using more sophisticated methods such as using ultra-violet paint to mark homes with highvalue pets as targets.
But they have also been robbing breeders and even ripping out microchips from stolen animals.
Home Secretary Priti Patel recently pledged to explore measures to tackle pet thefts after some areas reported a 250 per cent increase last year as demand for dogs surged during the pandemic.
The popularity of new designer crossbreeds may have contributed to the rise in thefts. However, most of the thefts recorded on DogLost’s database were of traditional breeds such as spaniels.
Last month pop star Lady Gaga’s dog walker Ryan Fischer was shot in Hollywood by thieves who took two of her French bulldogs.
The singer offered a £359,000 reward for the safe return of her pets, which were eventually found and returned to her. She has reportedly offered to pay Mr Fischer’s medical bills, and he is expected to make a full recovery.