Be careful

[ACE]

The dogs sleep out in the porch, so they can use the garden at night. Sunday night they were barking like mad, so as you do I shouted at them to shut up and locked them in the porch. Went out the next morning and found the gate had been tampered with. Talking to a neighbour he told me there had been some dog thefts going on.

So now a pick axe handle is behind the door and a padlock on the gate. Plus they will be locked in at night. Phoned the police, they did not even take my name and address. I told a friend who does dog traing and she even advised keeping them in sight during the day as well. There is a lot of it going on, stolen to order and then they take them out of the country to sell them.

I have not checked yet, but if you get a mysterious chalk mark on your gatepost, be aware.

[ACE]

[Obelixx]

Sounds like a lucky escape Ace.  Our two - Wheaten terrier and Labrador rescue dogs - go out for a pee just before bedtime and then retire to their cages in the hall with a chew bone where they can bark at any naughty people who may try to get in but not run around and cause mayhem.     The daffy Labrador was a demon chewer and also not toilet trained when he first arrived but is good as gold in his cage so it offers security as well as comfort.   

[cudsey]

The same thing is happening in South Yorks where I live I have also heard about the chalk mark I look after my daughters cocker spaniel while she works and it makes you very wary when she is off lead in the fields so we should all be alert

[Silverleaf]

If anyone asks about your dog when you're walking or whatever, make sure to tell them it's old, spayed/neutered, has epilepsy which requires expensive drugs, isn't a purebred/pedigree, or anything that will make it undesirable as a breeding dog. The spayed/neutered one is probably best.

[lezelle]

Hi Ya, It seems from this small input that it's a country wide thing this dog napping. There have been instances here as well where peoples dogs have gone missing. I keeps a good eye on ours though at 5 years old may be they are to old and both have been neutered. I have heard they take the more collectable dogs for breeding indeed one person is advertising for the return of their terrriers with a reward that have disappeared out of the garden. We tend to walk our dogs early morning but I have also been warned by other dog walkers. The chalk mark seems to be the way to note where dogs are living. It must be really heart breaking to loose a beloved pet. We have always had dogs and it's broken my heart to loose them via natural causes. My heart goes out to any one who has been caught. I would be very upset and if I caught any one I would be most willing to do time for maiming them. Still watch out all and pleas elets all take extra precautions and stay safe.

[Silverleaf]

Definitely don't leave your pets out unsupervised anywhere.

[*Joanne*]

It seems to go on loads now not far from me a man has been paying teenage lads to go and look in gardens to find dogs. They are then stolen and used for fighting dogs bait when he cant pick any free ones up on gumtree.  Same thing happens with cats such a sad world we live in at times.