It is every dog owner’s nightmare – the sickening realisation that a beloved pet has been snatched away by crooks.
As Twiglet the Dachshund is returned to her grateful millionaire owners Jo and Jamie Vindis, there are thousands of cases where there is no happy ending.
In fact the blight of dognapping cases has only risen, with the most recent statistics showing 2,760 a year are being taken.
The number is equivalent to around eight pets being snatched every day.
And it is a huge rise of around 283 per cent since 2015, when there were just 707. In 2019, before the pandemic, it was 2,199.
A chilling map shows the UK’s dognapping hot spots – and Jack Russells and French Bulldogs are most at risk.
Twiglet has been returned to her owners – but not every dognapping has a happy ending
Ray the dog, a snatched pug who was taken from his owners Nick Deveraux and Vanessa Reid
Strawberry the Chihuahua before she vanished, stolen by a dognapper posing as bogus dog rescue centre worker (not pictured)
Bandit, a three-year-old cocker spaniel, was taken in Cambridgeshire and never been found
A total of 45 French Bulldogs were stolen, up 29 per cent on the previous year, while a further 24 Jack Russells were also taken – a 140 per cent rise on the ten recorded in 2020.
Other smaller breeds such as Chihuahuas, Pugs and American Bulldogs were also highly sought after among criminals, according to figures previously revealed under a Freedom of Information request and compiled by Direct Line Pet Insurance.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers were previously the most popular target breed for thieves, but dropped to seventh last year following an 88 per cent fall.
London is a particular hotspot and the successful return rate ranges are as low as between 5 per cent in Brent and Sutton to 18 per cent in Richmond upon Thames.
Of the 3,921 dogs taken, 478 have been returned, leaving some 3,443 pets missing in the capital.
The figures, which have been collated by the Greater London Assembly, show the significant problem faced by pet owners in the capital. with dogs a constant target for professional gangs.
Nationally, approximately six dogs a day are stolen with just one in four being reunited with their owners.
Madeline Pike, a Veterinary Nurse for Direct Line Pet Insurance said: ‘It’s devastating to see the number of dogs stolen continues to increase across the country.
‘Unfortunately, the increase in dog ownership since the pandemic began and the subsequent rise in prices of these animals seems to make the crime even more appealing to thieves.’
‘The law will soon recognise dogs as members of the family with feelings, not just owned property and we hope that this will deter criminals, especially if they can be punished more severely if prosecuted.’
Ms Pike advised owners to take precautions such as seeing a puppy they plan to purchase with its mother to ensure they are not buying from a criminal organisation, and once in possession of an animal not to leave it tied up outside a shop, or leave it inside an empty car.
‘It’s also vital to keep microchipping contact details up to date in case your dog does go missing and is handed in,’ she added.
Claire Calder, head of public affairs at Dogs Trust said: ‘ Having your beloved pet stolen is an extremely stressful, often heart-breaking experience. For years, Dogs Trust has called for harsher penalties to deter those who profit from this despicable crime.
‘We welcome the proposed measures in the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals Bill) to introduce tougher sentences for those that steal dogs and recognise the emotional impact that this has on their owners. However, the Bill has sadly not progressed for over a year and needs to be urgently brought back or we will miss the opportunity to sufficiently tackle this abhorrent crime.’
A staggering 98 per cent of dog thieves escape without charge.
Failure to tackle the crime leaves nearly 200 families devastated each month, according to the Kennel Club.
The Government launched a pet theft taskforce in May 2021 – but hundreds of dogs have been stolen since.
Coronavirus restrictions over the last couple of years have led to a boom in the puppy market, with 3.8 million people getting a dog during the pandemic.
The demand has led to a rise in the cost of dogs, with pedigree French Bulldogs costing upwards of £3000, making them a lucrative target for criminals.
