Preventing dog theft

A national rise in the number of dog thefts has resulted in Essex Police stepping up their preventative measures. While incidents of dog theft are low in the county, national figures show an increase over the last 18 months in reported incidents and the fear of theft. As a result, Essex Police have reacted to the trend by –

• engaging with recommendations from the National Pet Taskforce
• introducing a process for all cases to be reviewed by a specialist officer
• establishing the ability to proactively respond to reports of pet theft
• establishing strong working relationships with the RSPCA, Dog Watch and Crimestoppers to promote prevention measures

Work has been undertaken to improve the recording of incidents of pet thefts with stronger processes introduced in the force control room and national learnings introduced wherever possible. The Rural Engagement Team have increased engagement with pet owners attending country shows and other engagement opportunities to share best practice in preventing the theft of pets.

Find out more about how we are working to prevent dog theft in our annual report.