Advice on protecting your dog from the threat of theft in North Yorkshire

Dog theft is an issue which can understandably be very worrying for our communities, however these type of incidents are rare according to North Yorkshire Police.

There have been 11 incidents reported so far in 2021.

It is always advisable to take the necessary steps which help keep your pets safe, such as microchipping and keeping them close to you on a walk but dog owners in North Yorkshire, generally, do not need to be fearful for their own or their dog’s safety we are told.

A police spokesperson added:

“Social media is an important tool for our communities, and one which we use a lot in policing to help share information, but we do urge caution when reading and sharing posts as some issues may not be as they appear.

“We have heard reports of dog owners taking weapons on daily walks and we strongly advise against doing so. Carrying a weapon is illegal and could result in injury to yourself and/or others.

“If you see anything suspicious or experience anything which you are worried about then be assured we are here to help so please call 101 to report any concerns.”

Latest statistics to show the number of dog theft incidents in North Yorkshire:

• In 2021 so far we have had 11 dog theft incidents reported.
• In July – September 2020 we had 10 dog theft incidents reported. To put this in context over that same 3 month period we had 3,002 general theft offences reported in total.
• From 1 March 2019 to 29 February 2020 – 18 dog theft incidents were reported to North Yorkshire Police.
• From 1 March 2020 to 28 February 2021 – 25 dog theft incidents were reported to North Yorkshire Police.

There are a number of steps you can take to help safeguard your dog:

• Ensure your pet is microchipped – if your dog runs off and it is found, you can be easily traced as its owner. If your dog is stolen, when it is taken to the vets, they will discover that the dog is chipped and you will be identified as its rightful owner.
• Don’t leave dogs unattended in the street, however small and friendly the community.
• Don’t leave your dog alone in a car – particularly when the weather starts to warm up.
• Don’t overshare on social media, ensure your privacy settings are secure and don’t share details about your home address or regular walking routes.
• Ensure your garden is secure and don’t leave them alone for long periods of time.
• If you keep them outside, make sure your property and kennels are secure.
• Always keep them on a lead when walking near roads.
• Ensure your dog is fully trained to come back to you before you let it off the lead.
• Don’t allow your dog to run free near farm animals – we regularly deal with reports of livestock being killed or seriously injured as a result of dog attacks in North Yorkshire and it is vital that owners keep their pets under control at all times.

Please report any suspicious activity or dog thefts to us by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency, Police say they are here to help but cannot investigate crimes if they are not reported to us.