Before 2020, dog-napping was a fairly obscure crime, but like so much else over the past year, coronavirus came along and changed that.
Boosted by a rocketing demand for pets, as people try to stave off isolation or realise they can finally get a furry friend now they’re home quite literally every single minute of every single day, stealing dogs has become a lucrative criminal enterprise, with certain breeds advertised on websites like Pets4Homes for as much as £12,000 a pup.
Videos by VICE
Unsurprisingly, the fear of having a canine companion snatched away has increased; a recent survey found that over three-quarters of dog owners are now more scared to take their pooch for a walk, while one in five know someone who’s had a dog stolen within the last year.
I wanted to know what kind of person would steal a dog, and how that whole criminal niche works, so I contacted Laura*, a former dog-napper from South Wales who was convicted of stealing pedigree puppies on sale for thousands of pounds.
VICE: How did you first become involved in dog-napping?
Laura: Through desperation in the chaos of addiction.
It’s presumably quite a profitable trade?
Oh my god, there’s so much money to be made. Some breeds sell for thousands. At the moment there’s a trend for French bulldogs, which cost easily over £1,000, but someone could buy a stolen one for maybe £500. So yes, it’s a very profitable crime. Since the lockdown, more people have got into pets. Also, for criminals, it’s easy money because shoplifting and other crimes are harder at the moment.
Is it really that easy to nick a dog? I’d have thought it’d be more difficult than other forms of theft, because the dogs might bite.
Well, the risk of getting bitten is low because they’re usually young puppies. The problem is carrying the puppies. Me and my mate had to carry eight or nine of them. We had to climb over a metal fence, which I cut my finger on. We had to get from there to the place we were going with the puppies without being spotted by the police. Having somewhere to keep the puppies is the main issue.
Do you have to know a lot about dogs to be good at it?
There are certain trends you need to be aware of, for example trends for pugs and teacup-dog pups, such as miniature Yorkshire terriers. But any breed that’s worth money can be targeted by dog-nappers. I think you need at least some basic knowledge of dog breeds, because you need to get a good dog that will sell.
Is it hard to find buyers for the dogs?
It’s not too difficult. Most people would rather pay a lot less for a dog than they would have to if they went to a legit dog-breeder. I think it’s pretty easy, to be honest.
You’ve been in prison for dog-napping. What was that like? Did you get Cruella de Vil jokes from the other inmates?
I just said that I was in for theft. I did tell a few of the girls the truth, and yes, there were a lot of jokes like that. The worst and most embarrassing thing was my partner knowing. I told him about it because I didn’t want him seeing it in the news and thinking I’d hurt the dogs or that I’d been cruel to them. He made lots of jokes about it as well.
What do you make of the fact that so many people are more afraid to walk their dogs at the moment?
I think it’s a bit over the top. I’ve not known people to steal a dog while it’s being walked by its owner.
There have been calls for harsher sentences for dog-nappers recently. What’s your take on that?
Honestly, I do think there should be harsher sentences, but depending on the circumstances. For instance, if someone is dog-napping and mistreating the dogs, they should get a harsher sentence. Sadly, there are people out there who care more about money than the health or wellbeing of the puppies.
What can dog owners do to avoid having their pets stolen?
Have their puppies chipped and avoid advertising where they’re kept. A lot of the time, someone will go to look at the pups as if they’re interested in buying them, and then go back later to steal them, so maybe if someone wants to look at them, meet them away from where they’re kept.
There have been suggestions that pet IDs should be introduced and that people should have to show them to the buyer when they’re selling a dog, to prove they’re the legal owners. Do you think that would make it harder for dog-nappers?
Yes, I think it would. There would still be people who’d buy them without an ID, but it’d deter a lot of the dog-nappers. It wouldn’t stop them though.
There have also been a few stories about Ace Ventura-style pet detectives tracking down stolen dogs. Is this something that keeps dog-nappers awake at night?
I wouldn’t personally say they’re a deterrent. I don’t think dog-nappers even consider them. The police are the main concern. Maybe if more people knew about these pet detectives it could be a deterrent, but personally I’ve not really heard of them. There will always be dog-nappers, as long as people are willing to buy stolen dogs.
*Pseudonym. Laura’s real identity is known to editors.
