Dognapping – A Crime On The Rise

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114 – March, 2023

By William Given

The crime of stealing a dog from its owner is called dognapping. The word is obviously derived from kidnapping. The strength of the human-canine bond is a strong one, thus, the emotional effect of dognapping is not unlike that experienced by people whose child or family member has been kidnapped. A dognapping can have a devastating psychological effect on people.

Dognapping isn’t something any owner wants to think about, but it is important to be aware and prepared. In just a matter of seconds, you can become the victim of a criminal who sees your dog as a quick way to make an easy buck.

Dognapping is a prevalent and growing problem in the United States, with some two million dogs being stolen each year. Pet theft is a bigger problem than people think and it is not just confined to the “bad” parts of town. The American Kennel Club has been tracking stolen dog reports since 2007 and reports a 31% increase in recent years.

In fact, some estimates suggest that dog thefts have increased by as much as 250% since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020. Sadly, dog thieves do not have much to lose. The vast majority of cases of dognapping are non-violent, so the penalty for stealing a dog is minimal in most states. It seems reasonable to expect dognapping to continue at its current level until such time as the courts find a punishment sufficient to curtail the crime.

For you, however, your cherished canine companion just might be your whole world. So, let’s talk about dognapping, some of the ways to protect your dog from pet theft and lastly, what to do if your dog has been stolen.

How Common is Dognapping

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114 – March, 2023

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