Advice

Preventing The Theft of Your Dog

Many of the best tips for protecting your pet may seem obvious but it's amazing how many things get overlooked on a daily basis by dog owners.

• You should never leave your dog unattended when you're shopping.
• You should also maintain a keen eye on your pet whenever you are out walking as a large number of thefts happen at this time.
• According to statisticians, over 50% of dogs are taken from gardens so you should always make sure your garden gate is securely locked and that fences or borders are in place and well maintained.
• You should take photographs of your pets quite regularly and be ready to use them on posters or in campaign if/when your pet goes missing unexpectedly.
• The most sensible anti-theft solution is to microchip your dog (which is a legal requirement anyway) and keep all micro-chipped information pertinent and up to date, including regularly veterinary checks on the microchip itself.
• Ensure your dog is wearing an ID tag with your name, address and phone number on them when in public. This is also a legal requirement and carries a hefty fine if your dog is found not wearing a tag. 

Horse Theft and Prevention

Be sure to keep your horse passport in a convenient location and completely up to date with information. Whether or not you live close to your horse stable, you should still visit the horse very regularly to keep checks on it. Always make sure that your horse tack and accessories are security marked and protected and always seek legal advice before loaning out your horse. If you can afford it, try to install a CCTV on or around your horse's stable.

After Theft

If your pet is chipped, immediately report the theft on Petlog. The site can be found at https://www.petlog.org.uk/ If you are present when your pet is taken, try to get photographs of any vehicles involved in the crime. Write down whatever you can remember about the perpetrators and vehicle as quickly as possible. Then immediately contact the police. The quicker you take action the more likely you are to find and retrieve your pet. You can also utilize social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to spread word of the theft more quickly. You can activate your dog's chip by visiting DogLost.co.uk and you should also install the associated app. Traditional methods like dog posters and leaflet campaigns are also useful.

Hopefully, you will get your pet back unharmed. In the case of horses, much of the above information is still relevant...but do also check out websites like Equine Data and Tracing Equines in the UK. These can be found at http://www.tracingequines.co.uk and http://www.equinedata.co.uk/

Here at Hoobynoo we produce dedicated and personalised Id tags to help identify your dog in a way that conforms with dog law regulations.

THE LAW

• What is the legal requirement for Dog Tags in the UK?
  
  Here is what the law states on dog tags in the UK, followed by our suggestions for information you should (and should not) include on your dog tags:

Every dog while in a public place should wear a collar with the name and address of the owner inscribed on the collar or on a plate or badge attached to it.