Police have responded to social media reports of a spate of dog thefts in Bristol.
Nationally, dog thefts have been on the news recently - with police warning organised criminals are turning to dog theft amid a rise in demand for puppies during lockdown and one charity estimating that dog thefts have increased by 250% since March 2020.
And, in recent days, several posts reporting a spate of dog thefts in Bristol have appeared on local social media groups.
However, Avon and Somerset Police has now said it hasn't recorded a dog theft in Bristol since May last year.
The force said that, since the start of 2019, it has recorded six dog thefts in the city. These were recorded in St Paul's, Bishopsworth, Knowle, Stockwood, Lockleaze and Eastgate.
In a statement, it said: "We’d encourage anyone who has been a victim of a crime to report it via 101/999 or our website."
An RSPCA spokeswoman said they believe the rise in reports of dognapping could be related to an increased demand for dogs and puppies during the pandemic.
She said: “We’d urge all dog owners to take extra precautions to protect their pooches from thieves by neutering their pets, ensuring they are microchipped with up-to-date contact details registered, ensuring they wear a collar with contact details embroidered or an engraved ID tag.
"We’d also advise that owners never leave their pets tied up outside shops or alone in cars, ensure their gardens are secure with gates locked, and ensure their pet has a good recall and doesn’t stray too far when off-lead on walks."
Stay up to date: get the biggest stories from across Bristol straight to your inbox.
She added: “Anyone who suspects their dog may have been stolen should immediately alert police, contact their microchip company to register their pet as stolen and inform local rescue groups, vets, dog walkers and neighbours.
“Thousands of pets are lost and stolen every year and many are never reunited with their owners but microchipping can help to change that. While collars and tags can get caught or removed – microchipping identifies pets permanently and effectively."
Avon and Somerset Police has also released the following advice for pet owners:
Don't:
• leave them unsupervised in your garden or tied up outside shops
• leave them alone in your vehicle (and never in hot weather)
Do:
• keep your dog's microchip details up-to-date and ensure they wear a tag with your name, address and phone number - but not the dog's name
• have lots of photos of your dog, including some together with you
• make sure your garden is secure
• train your dog to come to you when called
• vary the time and routes of your walks
• be wary of strangers asking lots of questions about your dog
• use a reputable kennels or dog-sitting service, ideally through recommendation, and always check references
