Dog thieves

I just want to alert people in the UK, particularly areas in or around Bournemouth at the moment that there may well be dog thieves operating at the moment.

Last night, I noticed the fur on Bertie's left ear didn't look quite right. On closer inspection, it appears somebody has actually cut a chunk of fur off with a pair of scissors. I looked at the other ear too and the same has been done there but on a different section of the ear.

Apparantly this is one way dog thieves can mark a potential target if they don't have the opportunity at that precise time to make their escape with the dog. By cutting some of the fur, it marks the dog temporarily in order that they can recognise it again when they have a more opportune moment.

Now, for someone to be able to do this to Bertie, they would have had to have restrained him, possibly a two people job. He seldom goes out of my sight and is never gone for long at all but he must have gone long enough over the past day or so for somebody to be able to do this to him.

It could just be that somebody is going around doing this sort of thing for kicks just to annoy the owners (I certainly hope this is the case) or more sinister, it could be thieves marking a target.

I'm very upset about it, more about the fact somebody has got hold of my dog and possibly upset him than the fact his ears don't look right but am equally worried in case it's dog thieves marking him.

I am going to keep him on the lead from now on for the foreseeable future, better safe than sorry. I'm also going to take him to a groomer to have the ears trimmed up so they look reasonably normal, even though it will leave the fur really short. At least if a groomer does this, if it is a thief situation, then they won't be able to recognise him from their mark any more. Not that it would stop them if they really wanted to take him.

I'm not totally convinced it's thieves however because surely if they managed to get hold of him long enough for that, they could have made of with him there and then, unless of course I was too nearby for them to do that, who knows.

Anyway, I just wanted to alert the rest of you because if it can happen to me, it can happen to others.

Alison

thats terrible and really scary to think that people can do this sort of thing! Am glad he is ok though. Do you think this happened when he was in the garden or were you out in the park??

Gem said:

thats terrible and really scary to think that people can do this sort of thing! Am glad he is ok though. Do you think this happened when he was in the garden or were you out in the park??

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I'm almost certain it happened in the park, I only have a small patio and am usually outside with him when he's out there, certainly never inside while he's out for more than a moment or two.

Alison

as you say you will just have to keep him on a lead whenever your out its just not worth the risk. Its a shame to think thats what the worlds coming to but lots of dogs are stolen to order the thought of what could have happened just doesnt bear thinking about,
Am so glad you are both ok, a trip to the groomers might make him feel better
:xfngr: no-one has an experience like this

OMG sooooo scary!

i must admit i worry about that here,i often leave the door open so he can get out to the garden,i have wondered if that would be a easy target .funny though today we padlocked the gate.

I have to admit that I find this totally disturbing!! Luckily no-one can get to the back of my house without going through the house. I hope that nothing else sinister happens!!

Very scary!!!!! Please know we're all thinking about you and hoping nothing worse happens. :xfngr: that all remains well and what happened was prank and nothing more.

Well, today has passed with no more incidents. I kept Bertie on a lead apart from when we met up with a dog we know and I allowed him off lead to play with him for a little while. While he is playing with other dogs, he's well within my sight and there were no other people around either. I kept him on lead the whole time apart from then.

I am paranoid now but better paranoid than careless I think. I decided to cut his ear fur myself to tidy it up and have done a reasonable job considering. It's very short now though and I am upset that his lovely long ears have gone but it will grow back eventually.

Alison