EVERY DOG OWNER IN UK ISSUED URGENT WARNING WHICH COULD COST THEM THEIR PET

Between 2018 and 2020, there were 164 cases of Staffordshire bull terriers reported stolen by their owners making them the most stolen breed.

Dog owners are being urgently warned that thefts of cute pets are rising “exponentially”.

A new data report by GoCompare has analysed Freedom of Information requests sent to police constabularies across the UK.

Analysts also looked at doglost.co.uk data to investigate the rise in dog related crimes in the UK in 2021.

With dog thefts in the UK increasing exponentially in the past year the study by GoCompare Pet reveals the most targeted breeds, the UK’s hotspots and the percentage of those recovered.

Between 2018 and 2020, there were 164 cases of Staffordshire bull terriers reported stolen by their owners making them the most stolen breed.

On average each dog from this breed costs £1,028. This amounts to a value of £168,623 worth of dogs stolen over the past three years.

From analysing social data from Doglost.co.uk, GoCompare found there was a 189% increase in the number of dogs being listed as stolen on the site in comparison to the year before.

Sally Jaques, Pet Expert at Gocompare added: “Many people who have always dreamed of owning a dog took the plunge while they were spending so much time at home during lockdown which is why the price of dogs has risen so sharply. Owning a dog is now a big investment.

“But, worryingly, that rise seems to have coincided with an increased number of dogs going missing, presumed stolen, so it’s absolutely crucial that pet owners make sure they know what they are covered for on their pet insurance policy, should the worst happen. We know that owning a pet isn’t all about the money, but pet insurance policies can help you offer a reward to find your lost or stolen pet as well as advertise for its safe return.”

10 most commonly stolen breeds:

Staffies
Chihuahua
Jack Russell
French bulldog
Cocker spaniel
Pug
Labrador
Bulldog
Lurcher
German shepherd