Humberside Police are urging dog owners in the Bridlington area and beyond to take basic crime prevention measures.
Here is some good advice from Humberside Police.
The theft of a dog is an extremely traumatic experience for anyone and if it is reported to us we will act to locate the dog and fully investigate the theft.
Today (Monday 14 March) is #DogTheftAwarenessDay which gives us a chance to talk about how we can protect our devoted dogs.
We are very pleased to report that the number of dog thefts in our area remains very low, that’s all very well to say but it has to be the worst fear of any dog owner.
Many victims use social media to share the news of a theft or missing dog and this is now the go-to place to get the message out far and wide.
We know from a couple of cases in our area that dogs can be taken a long way from home and it can be months before they are found and reunited with their owners. So any way that you can circulate the image and details of your stolen dog the more chance that it will be found.
Three spaniels were taken from a village near Bridlington were stolen in February 2021, two of the dogs were located near Wigan and Preston and returned within a matter of 10 days. The last dog, Keedy, was found in Kent in May 2021. The owners were obviously very happy to be reunited with their beloved pets.
During the pandemic the numbers of people buying puppies and dogs increased massively and fears of dog’s owners were raised after social media posts highlighting cases of theft across this country.
We were pleased that we did not see an increase in our area during the pandemic and now want to take to opportunity again to remind people to stay on their guard and take some basic crime prevention measures to protect their own dogs.
- Report any suspicious activity to the police, if you see people checking out properties please call us to report your concerns.
- Make sure your garden, house and outside kennels are secure.
- Check gates, lighting and think about CCTV
- If your dog is kennelled outside please ensure these are secure and locked and install CCTV to monitor your property if at all possible.
- If you are out with your dog please keep your dog under full and proper control, in sight and avoid leaving your pet tied up in a public place and outside shops.
- Be careful who can see your pet’s photos on social media
- Change your routine regularly
