Doggy Thieves

Dog napping is all to common. Dogs are stolen from hitching posts outside of stores, out of cars, even out of your backyard. Really no where is completely safe. I got a kick out of reading people's solutions in the comment section on line. Folks scolding others for taking their dogs with them and leaving them in the car etc the list goes on and on.

Being the dog lover I am I love to let the dogs ride along with me, though with kids the trips are less frequent than they used to be. Our before kids dogs went absolutely everywhere with me. I have left them in the car while I ran into the store or post office for a second. I am fully aware of how fast a car can heat up, but with our chilly winters here it's not much of a problem and I don't take them with me in the summer time. My doggies also always travel in a crate or seat belt for safety. My biggest pet peeve is dogs loose in the back of pick up trucks, but that's another story. I love taking my dogs with me and they like going, and I don't plan on stopping any time soon. I do try my best to keep them safe with microchips and locking my doors. The problem with microchips is most owners don't register them so it is impossible to track down the owner. Sometimes the chips are hard for scanners to pick up and it takes multiple passes to detect them, will busy vets and shelter workers take that much time. And do vets risk offending new dog owners by scanning their newly adopted pets? Really most thieves aren't going to admit it's a stray or stolen, they'll say they adopted or bought it. Even if it is chipped and we scan it do we call the companies to see if it's legit. Most people would be highly offended and find a new vet. Also chips can be cut out by the really nasty thieves.

Some people stated dogs should be allowed in all public places so owners didn't have to leave them. Though I think it would be cool to take my dogs shopping with me it really isn't practical. What about those who dislike dogs or are allergic, they have the right to shop pet free. Also dogs and food places could turn into very unsanitary places quickly. Really your golden is cute, but I don't want to find his hair on my food. Also it is great to socialize the dogs, but I think there would be many more bad situations than good ones. Last year I had an owner whose beloved little dog died in her arms. We tried to revive it, but were unsuccessful. She had been walking on a nature trail approved for leashed dogs. She met a man with an unruly larger dog. He couldn't control him and a deadly attack ensued. I see many more of these nightmare situations occurring. Or worse yet innocent kids wandering up to pet the puppy getting bit.

Really I don't believe there is a right answer. I think all we can do is educate ourselves and use common sense to protect our pooches.

What happens to these stolen doggies. Most go into bad situations, like breeding rings, or bait for dog fights, or simply just being resold for cash. It is sad to have to worry about our dogs being stolen, but it is a harsh truth, and we just have to protect them like we do our kids. I don't think it is fair to lock them up in our homes and never let them out, but I don't think they should be allowed access to all that human life has to offer. There are boundaries but we can still enjoy a full life with our pooches with some safety precautions. Being aware, tags, microchips, and tattoos are a good place to start.