MP calls for for a specialist dog theft lead in South Yorkshire

Rother Valley MP Alexander Stafford set up the petition on his website after he learned criminals are marking homes in and around the Anston area with chalk and paint to indicate whether there is a dog inside.

He said; “I know that this is an incredibly frightening situation for residents and I have spoken with South Yorkshire Police about the urgent need to press on with investigating dog thefts in our community and apprehending the perpetrators.

“We must have a dedicated response to dog thefts in Rother Valley; this state of affairs simply cannot be allowed to continue.

“That is why I am campaigning for a local Dog Theft Lead to be appointed here in South Yorkshire, as has been done recently in Nottinghamshire by their constabulary.”

His petition can be found here

Detective Chief Inspector Jamie Henderson said; “We understand there is a lot of concern, nationally and locally, about a reported rise in the number of incidents involving the theft of dogs.

“Since July 2020, South Yorkshire Police has recorded 63 investigations in which dogs have been taken.

Our latest statistics show 16 investigations were recorded in February of this year.

“We fully investigate reports made to us with the aim of ensuring dogs are safely reunited with their owners and finding those responsible for these crimes.

Sheffield dog owner shares clever way to stop pets being stolen on walks after rise in dog thefts

“It is vital members of the public remain vigilant and report any incidents to us, as well as anyone seen acting in a suspicious manner. We act on this information and carry out thorough investigations.”

“Across the force, we have teams working together to detect these crimes and our local neighbourhood policing teams are reviewing their routine patrol plans in line with any reported incidents.

“We are aware there is a lot of discussion on social media about this type of theft. We would encourage victims or witnesses to report any incidents to us, so we can respond and investigate.”

There are a number of steps you can take too, to protect yourselves and your pets:

- Never leave your pet tied up unattended, for example, outside shops.

- Make sure your dog is wearing a collar and ID tag when in a public place, as you are now required to do by law. Include your surname, telephone number, address and full post code and if there’s room, put ‘microchipped’ on the tag if your dog has a chip.

- Ensure your dog can be permanently identified by its microchip and check with your vet every year that details are up to date.

- Keep all documentation relating to your dog(s) in a safe place. Include clear photos of front and side profiles of your dog, and any unusual markings.

- Train your dog not to go out of your sight on walks, use an extending lead if the dog does not comply. Vary your walk times and routes and be alert.

ve your dog has been stolen always report it to the police via 101 and also report it to your Local Authority’s Dog Warden service, local vets and rescue centres. If your dog is microchipped, report it to the microchip company and register it as lost or stolen.