PCC on pet thefts: ‘I don’t want people to be frightened to go out and walk their dog’
Sussex’s Police and Crime Commissioner has urged dog walkers to ‘not be fearful to go out’ with their pet.
A survey carried out by police leaders, including Sussex PCC Katy Bourne, has revealed more than threequarters of dog owners have become more wary of walking their dogs during the day for fear of theft.
Of the 124,729 people asked, 97 per cent felt dog theft is a serious problem.
Mrs Bourne said she was ‘really very grateful’ to the ‘phenomenal’ number of people who responded to the survey, adding that the results have been ‘extraordinary’.
The majority of people who responded to the survey (79 per cent) said they were fearful of taking their dog for a walk in the daylight, which surprised the Sussex PCC.
“I expected that to be strong at night-time in the dark but in the daylight?” she asked. “Of course it is [a concern]. “The public perception on fear has really increased, especially since lockdown.
“There’s a lot that the police need to be doing.
“If they are communicating with the public, they need to give them confidence that they are going to respond effectively to this crime and take it seriously.
“They can also encourage the public to report it.”
Addressing those who are fearful to take their dog for a walk, Mrs Bourne added: “Don’t be fearful to go out. There are a lot of precautions you can take.
“Keep your dog on a short lead. Don’t let it out of your sight. If it does, make sure it is trained to come back when you call it.
“Be aware of the environment that you’re in.
“Just sensible things you can do to protect your pet.
“I don’t want people to be frightened to go out and walk their dog because actually the whole point of having a dog is to give you that companionship and pleasure. Pets cheer us all up.
“More than ever, we need them.”
Mrs Bourne said there is a ‘clear message’ that the police ‘need to communicate much better with the public on this issue’.
She said: “That’s one of the criticisms that I hear quite a bit that forces don’t take it seriously enough.
“Police have to balance things on the risk of threat and harm. By not taking this crime seriously, the impact on the victim is really significant.
“People are telling me their dog is not just a piece of property. It’s actually a member of the family, an extension of the family.
“We want more consistency in the way these crimes are recorded.”
Mrs Bourne said the results of the survey have given a ‘real evidence base’ to ‘challenge my local force’.