18 July 2008

Police in Yorkshire are warning that theft of pedigree dogs is a national problem, the Wetherby News reports.

Sergeant Paul Bilton, from Wetherby Police, made the statement following the theft of a £1,000 English springer spaniel from a family's home.

Mr Bilton has urged owners to be aware of the problem that is sweeping the UK.

"Nationally it's a problem. For various breeds of dogs that are valuable, theft is on the increase. We're concerned that we've got the possibility of animal thieves working on us," he said.

"We have a lot of farms and working dogs out there and we don't want a spate of dog thefts if we can avoid it."

Dog owners have been issued tips from doglost.co.uk which advises them to ensure their pets are microchipped and ideally neutered as this makes them less of a target for thieves.

The company also suggests that owners walk their dogs along different routes and not to leave pets outside shops. Worried owners can also install CCTV to set their minds at rest.

Recent figures show that up to 50,000 dogs are stolen every year.