Keep your pet pooch safe: Dog owners warned of thieves stealing canines to sell for Christmas – TheLiberal.ie – Our News, Your Views

Keep your pet pooch safe: Dog owners warned of thieves stealing canines to sell for Christmas




doggyDog owners are urged to keep their pet safe after it is revealed that up to 150 dogs are stolen from Irish homes every week. Dog thieves are rife at this time of year, hoping to cash in on sought after breeds. Small dogs such as the Cavachon, Pug or Pomeranian are prime targets.

Robert Kenny is Ireland’s only fully-qualified pet detective and a director of Leinster Animal Rescue said: “Cavachons are really hot on the market at the moment, because they are highly sought-after. They would cost around €700 to €800 to buy as a pup, and the stolen ones would be sold on for €300 or more. A lot of these dogs would have been stolen in the summer and kept in safe houses up to now before being sold on in the run-up to Christmas. Bigger dogs aren’t being lifted as much, because it’s much harder for gangs to hide them.”

He continued: “When a dog is lifted, it’s normally transferred very quickly and taken outside a 30-mile radius within 48 hours. With regard to Dublin and the greater Dublin area, a high ratio of stolen dogs end up in safe houses in the Tallaght area. The UK and Sweden are two major markets that gangs are targeting, because both countries have stricter breeding regulations than Ireland, so there are less dogs and the demand for them is much higher than here.”

How can someone improve their chances of being reunited with their pet? Microchipping. New legislation requires all newborn dogs to be microchipped from March next year He added: “If a dog is not microchipped, it’s very difficult to prove who the owner is and you don’t have the authority to take the dog off someone who has stolen it. But with a microchip and a scanner, it takes me five minutes to establish proof of ownership.” Kenny also urged owners to keep their pet indoors when they are not home and at night time.

 

 

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