Safety first
10 tips to help protect your dog and yourself.
1 Identification:
Keep your dog’s microchip number and the microchip company’s contact details on your mobile phone for quick access.
2 Stranger danger:
Pay attention to people you don’t know asking questions — thieves can be very clever at extracting information about your dog and routine. If asked, say your dog is neutered — even if that isn’t the case — and over-inflate his or her age.
3 Routine:
Try to vary the times and routes you walk your dog and avoid leaving him home alone at set times on certain days.
4 Anti-theft technology:
Although a GPS tracker on your dog’s collar can quickly and easily be removed by thieves, at least it enables you to follow your dog’s movement in real time and pinpoint his last-known location. Consider installing outside lights with motion sensors, CCTV and/or small but powerful HD outdoor cameras in your garden. There are also pet cams designed for inside your home that mean you can keep track of your dog on your smartphone while you are out.
5 Home security:
Even if your garden is secure (no gaps in hedges or fencing and all gates locked or bolted), don’t leave your dog in the garden unattended. Be particularly alert if your garden backs on to a road or footpath.
6 Out and about:
Never tie up your dog outside a shop or business, or leave him unattended in a car, even for a couple of minutes — it can take just seconds to steal a dog.
SAMPA (the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance) volunteer Justine Quirk advises: “When restrictions allow, walk your dog with other people or in an area that has other dog walkers around. Ensure that your dog has excellent recall so you can get him back on lead quickly and leave an area if you need to, and don’t wear earphones so you’re not distracted.
Be alert, be aware and be vigilant.”
Don’t take your eyes off your dog, especially if your phone rings or you receive an email or text.
A chain lead rather than a leather/ fabric one may not only act as a deterrent but will mean thieves can’t cut through it so easily, while a locking carabiner clip will attach the lead to a collar or harness more securely.
Many owners are buying rape alarms; other people are investing in body cams — similar to hat cams worn by cyclists and horse riders — to act as a deterrent and for recording an assailant’s details.
Finally, assistance dog charity Dogs for Good advises walking your dog ‘building side’ — away from the side of the road — so it’s harder for a thief to open a car door and grab your dog.
7 Photos:
Take lots of pictures of your dog from different angles and at different times of the year; update them regularly and make a note of any distinguishing marks. Include shots of you with your dog in case you ever need to prove ownership at a later date.
8 Social media:
Be careful what you post on sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok — uploading cute pictures or videos may unwittingly make your dog a target.
9 Suspicious activity:
Report any incidents that concern you to the police and obtain a crime reference number.
10 Worry-free walks:
Give yourself peace of mind when letting your dog off his lead by booking a time slot at a private, safe and secure, exercise field.