ad | According to the Blue Cross, 7 dogs were stolen PER DAY in 2020. Which is a 170% rise from 2019. That is an alarming number and obviously something every pet owner is going to worry about. Unfortunately, criminals are everywhere and we have to be more vigilant than ever in protecting our online safety and the safety offline of our loved ones – including pets!
There are many aspects to pet safety we need to consider. We all know we shouldn’t feed our dogs chocolate and to remove anything that could be a danger to them in the home – like cables – but outside the home and in the big wide world, there can be more dangers lurking than the things they can consume.
Pet theft is a very real problem and it’s heart-breaking to think about. There’s also risks of losing your dog and them going missing. We don’t want to think about anything bad happening to our beloved pets but the more aware we are, the more precautions we can take to keep them safe.
So in this post, we’re going to look at some effective ways to keep our pets safe from criminals and in the outside world:
Don’t display their tag online
Your dog should have an identity tag on them at all times, which includes your phone number and address. This is a legal requirement in the UK. But if you post photos of your dog online – especially somewhere like Instagram – you’re going to want to be extra vigilant that you’re not displaying your address to potentially thousands of strangers.
And don’t include their name on the tag
It’s sensible to NOT include the dog’s name on it’s tag – as cute as it might be – because this will only make it easier for thieves to draw your dog’s attention if it knows it’s name. A dog is more likely to trust someone who is calling it’s name.
Get them micro-chipped
Another legal requirement in the UK is for all dog’s over the age of 8 weeks to be mirco-chipped. So make this a priority if you’re thinking of getting a puppy! If you dog ever gets lost, this could be the only thing that helps someone get it back to you.
Invest in a pet tracker device
To keep everything safe at home, it is best to invest in a home alarm system. These security systems give you the power to monitor your home from your mobile phone or choose a product that includes a basic monitoring service and add-ons, so everything is monitored 24/7. By doing so, you can be worry-free about your pet’s safety and security.
For even further security, you might want to invest in a 4G pet tracker. A GPS tracker for dogs is a handy device that fits comfortably around their neck and gives you even more peace of mind as to your dog’s whereabouts.
The PAJ GPS tracker for dogs allows you to set a designated “safe zone” which will alert you when your dog has left this zone. You will of course have live 24 hour tracking of your dogs whereabouts as well as 365 days worth of data from the device.
These GPS devices are great for if you do a lot of off-lead walking in large areas, such as fields or woodlands where perhaps there might be an occasion where you can’t see your dog.
Ensure your garden is fenced in
Your garden should be a safe space for your dog so ensure it’s fenced in to keep your dog safe. Small dogs can get through a variety of different gaps in fences, so check these are boarded up and also be wary of the height of your fences, especially if you live in a built up area where pet thief has been known to happen.
Switch up your walking routes
It’s a shame we have to do this but another sensible thing to do is to switch up your walking routes and times with your dog, so anyone watching from afar doesn’t know your minute-by-minute movements.
Don’t leave them in a car
Of course everyone knows not to leave a dog in a car – especially in Spring or Summer when it gets dangerously hot. But for safety reasons as well, it’s not smart to leave a dog in a car in sight of other people because you don’t know who is walking past.
Or tied up outside a shop
I don’t know why people still do this but I do see it. I live in a small village and people obviously think it’s safer to do this in a village in the countryside. And I’m sure it is! But I still wouldn’t take the risk.
Ensure they have perfect recall
You don’t want to be letting your dog off lead until you know their recall to YOU is spot on. There’s lots for dogs to be distracted by out there and if they go belting off into the path of someone who is a bit unsavoury then it’ll be difficult to bring them back.
Don’t live-tag locations on social media
And finally, another social media related point because we all LOVE to post about our dog’s on social media and that’s to not live-tag locations and be mindful of what you’re posting so people don’t recognise where you live.
These are helpful tips to keep pets safe, and I had no idea so many dogs were stolen every day! People leave their dogs tied up outside of shops here too, and I think it would be so easy for the dog to escape or someone to take them!
Yes absolutely I don’t know how anyone could do that tbh!
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I don’t currently have any pets, but if the dog I used to have was stolen, I would be completely devastated. These are very useful tips, and I hope everyone who has a furry family member heeds the advice. Great post!
Oh same, I can’t imagine how people cope with knowing their dog was stolen!
These are really effective ways to keep your pet safe. I hate it when pet owners leave their pets in the car when they go shopping, especially during the Summer months x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
It’s awful. It’s also legal now to break the window to get them out if need be!
I feel like they ties they pet outside shops because they aren’t pet friendly; which relate to the question why did you brought them in the first place?now cafés and food places do make sense, but if you knew you were gonna go.. bring someone to handle it outside OR walk to the drive window if you can? (But also human stupidity. I’ve seen dogs in cars waiting for owners going in a petstore.. why didnt you brought it in?? 🤦🏽♀️ no matter how big the dogs.. you should be able to handle them, yes they got a car ride but like? Why?)
Great post.