Thank you Enda for allowing us to print details of the e-mail you sent us which concerns the serious problem of stolen dogs.
I have had 3 dog taken in the 6 months, is there some one lifting dogs all the time? We have had dogs at our home for over 40 years and never lost one and in 6 months 3 dogs vanished; 2 Parson Russell’s and a mini Jack Russell, all pure breed but not registered. Does any one know why they are vanishing?
The first 2 went in august. I then bought another Parson dog pup and he vanished last week.
www.lostdogs.ie hope that when a dog is stolen a picture would be put on our website and our aim is for anyone buying a dog to check the website first – in case the dog they are being offered is actually a stolen dog
Since my dog was lost I trawl through all of the web sites day and evening in the hope that I will get her back. I cannot believe the number of dogs lost and stolen that are not found and reunited with their owners, let alone the lists of dogs for re-homing.
Lost Dogs.ie appears to be the best site as people are able to submit and update details themselves.
I think some serious investigation is needed into what is happening to the dogs that are being stolen. Where are they ending up? If they are being sold on, how is this being carried out and where? And what can be done to stop this happening?
In the Irish Times on a daily basis, there are ads for different types of dogs being offered under Pets. I have rang some of these numbers; some are animal shelters but how do we know that all of these are shelters? If they are legitimate animal rescue centres, they should state the name of their organisation and website address in their advert. I had one person ring me back from an ‘unknown number’ to ask me what dog I was interested in. When I said I had lost my dog they told me to contact the DSPCA and the various pounds. Maybe all these are legitimate rescue or foster care centres but that should be transparent in the ad.
If there is a racket going on around the country and dogs are being stolen by those who know they can make a fast few hundred Euros, why are the Gardai not looking into this more?
For myself I lost a beautiful little dog that I had only just bought and was looking forward to giving her a forever home. So I feel deeply for all those who are missing their pets right now, whether lost or stolen. In the sense that I have not got my dog back there is the chance that she has been kept by someone who took her in and did not bring her to a vet to have her scanned (she is microchipped).
I think there needs to be more awareness amongst the public as to what to do if they find a dog and I agree with the above post that people being offered a dog for sale or otherwise should be encouraged to check the websites to ensure that the dog they are being offered is not listed as lost or stolen.
Definitely some major investigation required by the Gardai into what is happening to all these stolen dogs.