How to Prevent Thieves From Stealing Your Dog at Home
We Brits have such a love affair with dogs. During lockdown especially, we shared a torrent of pictures and videos of dogs doing daft things to make us feel better. They somehow have a magical, calming effect. Some 3.2 million households acquired a pet to ease the loneliness of lockdown. Adoptions and sales of dogs soared.
Pampering our dogs
is our nation's obsession. It's industrialised and big money. We spend an
average of £240 each month on them. With the pet boom of the pandemic came
inflated prices and designer pooches sold on the black market. Dogs have become
a commodity.
Puppy smugglers and
opportunistic criminals saw the easy pickings to cash in on the demand and
around 12 dogs are being stolen in the UK every day.
Brazen thieves lure
and snatch pets at every possible opportunity - caravans, kennels, gardens, houses,
cars, heaven forbidden, even whilst out walking and scooping up poop. And they
are indiscriminate which human victims they target - breeders, celebrities,
macho men, families, the elderly and the disabled.
The key message
from the Dog Theft Awareness Week 2021 is to be CAREFUL OUT THERE, as NO ONE IS
SAFE and NO WHERE IS SAFE ANYMORE.
The home and garden
are the hot spots for pet theft.
52%
of dogs are stolen from gardens and 19% of dogs are stolen in house burglaries.
Puppies adopted during
lockdown might not have been home alone yet. Leaving them on their own when as
we go back to our ‘new normal’ lives may well lead to separation anxiety. The
howling and barking of a distressed dog could draw attention to would-be
burglars.
The loss of a furry
companion is so devastating. They are family. We need to do everything we can
to protect our pets and keep them safe.
If your dog is left
at home, securing your property
and garden is a one way to reduce the risk of your dog being stolen.
There are some
simple measures you can make to secure your home against any potential thieves:
·
Fit
key-operated locks to all downstairs and easy-access windows
·
Lock
all the doors and windows every time you leave the house
·
Keep
ladders and tools locked away
·
Hide
all keys out of sight
How
secure is your home against burglars?
Try to think like a
burglar and identify where there are weak points in your home. Most burglars
enter properties through unlocked front doors and windows, or where they can
discretely gain access through poor quality locks.
Lockforce have been
providing locksmith services across many parts of the UK and our experience
shows that prevention is better than having to help a customer once it's too
late.
You can't put the
price on how good a dog is for our wellbeing. They love us unconditionally and
they need our help. Now may be the time to check your home security and upgrade
your locks to insurance-approved British Standards and modern technology to
keep them safe. We can provide a full survey of your home and advise you how
best to stop dognappers grabbing your four-legged companion from their home.
To find a local
Lockforce locksmith in your area, visit lockforce.co.uk or call 0333 567 8920.
