You might have done it a lot of times, left your dog in your parked car for a quick run to the market or any other work, or tied your pet to a tree in the yard to go out. When you are back from your work, your pet is gone. You have become a victim of pet theft, which happens for various reasons.
Petnapping is a thriving shady business in the current times. Experimental laboratories purchase some of the stolen fur babies to test new chemicals, medications, and products.
Protecting your pet pooch from the dirty hands of pet nappers is as essential as supporting your fur baby with pet insurance in the best interests of its health and safety. While the best pet medical aid can cover your furry little one’s health comprehensively, you must take adequate steps to shield your precious fur baby from the eyes of pesky pet nappers.
Microchipping your pet, installing cameras in and around the home, hiring a reliable pet sitter, and, most importantly, not leaving your pet alone, whether in the car, at home, or on your lawn/backyard, is crucial. Know that even when you have taken the best measures to guard your furry friend, there is always a chance of a cunning pet thief finding a way to extort your pet.
People steal pets for these common reasons.
- Purebred dogs are the most common victims of theft. Their food, i.e. pedigree, has a street value that can fetch thousands of dollars with little effort. Stolen dogs are sold for half the price than the original value in the market.
- Puppy mills may buy pets and use them for breeding purposes.
- Some thieves steal animals and wait for their guardians to post a reward. They then collect the money and return the pet.
- People use stolen dogs of breeds like Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, American Pit Bull Terriers as bait dogs to train fighting dogs.
- Some people sell lost animals and stolen animals for veterinary institutions and research that uses cats and dogs for testing and biomedical research. They often refer to these kinds of people as Class B dealers.
How to protect pets
- When you are not around or at home, keep your pets indoors.
- Do not let your pets roam freely, even in your neighborhood.
- Whenever you take your pet for a walk, keep them on leash.
- Neuter or spay your pet. This will lessen the animal’s urge to roam out.
- While giving your pet for adoption, charge a minimal adoption fee so that you know you are not giving your pet away to any scammer.
Should such a thing happen, follow the below-mentioned steps with the hope of recovering your fur companion from the pet napper.
- Contact your neighbors or other people in your street to know if anything suspicious happened some time ago. For instance, it could be something they saw or heard that can help investigate the matter further.
- Suppose your pet is microchipped; report the theft immediately to the microchip database. If you find your fur baby or a pet thief tries to register your stolen fur baby as theirs, someone will instantly notify you. Tracking down a fur baby is easier when it is microchipped, which is why you should microchip it and don’t rely on the unique physical features and ID tag alone for identification.
- Put up posters with your fur baby’s latest pictures in the neighborhood. Don’t forget to include crucial details like your pet’s name, age, physical features, particular traits or identification marks, and contact information.
- Spread the word about your lost pet in the community, digital social circles, lost and found websites, and notify local animal shelters, rescue groups, and veterinarians about the matter. Be vigilant about your pet search and don’t lose heart if it takes a little longer.
- Report the theft immediately to the cops if you are too sure that your pet is not just missing but has been a victim of the theft activities. Registering a complaint with your local police station can help raise the chances of finding your pet. However, rely on personal efforts too.
Shielding your fur baby from such acts is critical to pet ownership, which is why every little precaution you take can count and make a significant difference to your furry baby’s life. You can do many things to keep your pet away from a pet thief’s radar, and most of them are incredibly simple and easy to do.
Also, be prepared to provide your traumatized fur baby with proper medical care in the event it returns. The most basic pet insurance helps with unplanned vet costs and emergency medical bills, while the pet insurance covers specific illnesses, dental, and much more. Contemplate purchasing a pet medical aid so providing health care need not be a financial challenge during distressing health scenarios.
