National Dog Theft Awareness Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about Dog

National Day for Awareness of Dog Abduction is observed on March 14. The purpose of the holiday is to inform people about the dangers of canine theft, educate them on the statistics, and instruct them on how to prevent their dogs from being stolen. The majority of people believe that canine theft is an act of opportunism, but data indicates that organised crime is the driving force behind it, and the trade is lucrative due to its low-risk and high-reward nature. Unless stricter regulations are enacted, this evil will persist, so dog owners must take action to protect their pets.

The background of National Dog Theft Awareness Day

The Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance (SAMPA) created National Dog Theft Awareness Day in 2016. This annual event kicks off Pet Theft Awareness Week in the United Kingdom. In 2017, the first event was conducted in Parliament. Since then, SAMPA has collaborated with British legislators to enact stricter laws against canine theft.

The British government established a Canine Theft Taskforce with the assistance of members of parliament including Tom Hunt, Siobhan Baillie, Ian Duncan Smith, Robert Buckland, and Priti Patel. The objective of this task force is to include canine theft as a specific offence in the Kept Animal Bill. To deter canine theft, protect the public, and give law enforcement more control over such cases, the new legislation would give courts the authority to impose appropriate prison sentences.

In 2010, British actress Sheridan Smith had her canine stolen twice in one month. Smith was reunited with her Shar-Pei, Enid, after appealing to her social media followers for assistance. A greyhound valued over $1 million was stolen from its trainer’s kennels in Ireland in 2016. The canine was held for ransom and recovered by Irish police a day later from the hideout of infamous criminals. Under the Theft Act of 1968, it is illegal to abduct a dog. However, in the United Kingdom, canines are considered personal property. The severity of the sentence is determined by the dog’s value. Dog offenders face a maximum of seven years in prison under current law.

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5 FAST FACTS ABOUT DOG THEFT

Over 70% of lost pets are never located.

The majority of stolen dogs are sold to puppy mills; others are used as “bait dogs” to train unlawful fighting dogs, and others are sold on the street for thousands of dollars.

Microchips enable canine owners to track their pets using smartphone applications.

Providing monetary rewards for the recovery of lost canines may hasten the process, but it also encourages and makes dog theft more appealing; some thieves steal dogs and then pose as rescuers to collect the reward.

Predators target purebreds such as Labradors, German Shepherds, Pit bulls, and Chihuahuas because of their high resale value and turnover rate on the market.

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NATIONAL DOG THEFT AWARENESS DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	March 14	Tuesday
2024	March 14	Thursday
2025	March 14	Friday
2026	March 14	Saturday
2027	March 14	Sunday