A former Love Island contestant has helped investigate the rise in dog theft across Wales and the rest of the UK.
The Dog Detectives, a 30-minute radio documentary on BBC Radio Wales, took a closer look at the steps being taken to cut down on dog thefts across the UK.
Connagh Howard, 29 from Cardiff, presented the documentary which featured a number of interviews including victims of pet thefts.
According to recent police figures, five dogs are stolen around the UK per day, a number other dog charities place as high as seven.
Sian Saunders from Port Talbot, told the show she had her dog Winnie stolen from her field by someone in a vehicle.
She said, “She was there one minute and gone the next.”
Winnie was recovered in Cirencester, 100 miles away. However, as Sian notes, she is one of the few lucky ones.
The Dog Detectives claim at least 465 dogs were reported stolen in 2020, compared to 172 in 2019 and much of this is thought to be down to the surge in profit made by selling dogs. Prices of some breeds have risen by as much as 89 percent.
Work being done to counteract the crime comes from a variety of hard working groups - the ‘dog detectives’, including the Missing Dog Team Wales.
The documentary, produced by Working Word, jumps between stories of lost dogs and the measures being taken to deter the crime.
James Nee, producer and head of creative at Working Word said, “The show pieces together these heart-wrenching personal stories, with the detectives doing all they can to recover dogs, psychologists to shed light on dogs’ role in our lives, activists fighting to change the law, and police forces working on increasingly sophisticated methods of detection.”
In the documentary, Jill Trick, coordinator of Missing Dog Team Wales, said, “Through shares on Facebook we can make that dog too hot to handle.”
Vanessa Waddon of Hope Rescue also urged owners to adopt rescues to ensure they aren't unknowingly feeding into puppy farming or illegal breeding.
Speaking to TeamDogs, she said, "The documentary was excellent and we hope it is has opened the public’s eyes to this rising problem, as well as showcasing the hardworking volunteer groups dedicated to reuniting lost and stolen pets, most of which we work closely with. "
Another proposed solution is a DNA base for dogs, to eventually replace microchips which can be removed.
The technology would stay with the dog for life, and stickers on windows, cars and leads could act as a deterrent to warn a potential thief that the dog has his information in the database.
There is also talk of the Pet Theft Task Force, which launched in May. It is a combination of three government departments working with the police, law enforcement and experts to understand and tackle pet thefts.
The documentary portrayed a perfect balance of the reality of the rising crime rate, its devastating mental impact of individuals and families, and the positive steps being taken to fight back.
Wayne May, police liaison for Dogs Lost, says the key to success is unity between the organisations fighting for a common purpose.
He said: “There is no doubt we will wipe out 90 per cent of dog thefts in one year.”
You can listen to the full documentary here .
