By Ken Byrer

Another troubling event hit the news in the last hours of 2023 as a home invasion in the District seized not cash or valuables but the residents’ dog, a seven month old puppy named Lola. This crime followed another incident in November where gunmen took three French bulldogs – Chewy, Coco, and Buttercup – from their owner while out for a walk. The same victim said thieves swiped another dog back in April. The Washington Post reported on another incident where “dognappers” offered to return a woman’s French bulldog for $900. Thanks to her actions and the police, authorities found both pet and suspects.

Perhaps most famously, in February, 2021, celebrity Lady Gaga’s dogs were stolen after abductors shot the person walking her pets in a case convoluted by insider involvement and a $500,000 reward offer. In that instance, Police said “the dogs were not specifically targeted because they belonged to Lady Gaga, but because French bulldogs can sell for thousands of dollars.” Resale of certain elite breeds, privately or to puppy mills, as well as the opportunity for ransom, figure into the economic motives of the crime. Sources citing the Los Angeles Police Department say  “the dogs that are at most risk are French bulldogs (since they can fetch $7,000-$12,000), Goldendoodles (resale value $800-$3,000), and Pomeranians (resale value starts at $3,000, but if there is an unusual or rare coat color, such as a merle, they can net up to $15,000)” but noted “other purebreds or posh designer mixes” such as “English bulldogs, Maltipoos, and small exotic breeds are also high on the list.” Other investigators add Yorkshire and Boston terriers, Maltese, Chihuahuas, Labradoodles, Pitbull terriers, German shepherds, and Labrador retrievers to the list of breeds prone to dognapping. A survey of news reports suggests that the incidence of stealing dogs far outnumbers that of stealing cats, with this story of two women pocketing a kitten at a cat café appearing to be more typical than numerous ransom schemes for canines.

While pet lovers see dognapping to be a crime against their family member – perhaps why it is called ‘dognapping’ and not ‘Grand Theft Dog’ – the law typically considers the act part of property crime. Only 15 States have penalties specifically for dognapping, with Virginia being one of them. In that State, dognappers can be punished with up to 10 years in prison if the imputed value of the animal is $500 or more in a statute also covering horses, mules, and other animals. Stiff penalties, however, did not apparently deter two men in Loudon County accused of stealing a dog from a home in August, 2023.

Is this kind of crime increasing, or merely the reporting of it? Imbedding dognapping in other property crime statistics makes it difficult to determine if this specific activity is on the rise. District of Columbia crime data reports a 24% increase in all property crime, of which increased dognapping anecdotally seems to be a part. A piece in Psychology Today also asserted that media reports “suggest” an increase in dognapping, but also notes that this crime goes back at least to the 1800’s with the romantic poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning and her dog Flush.

Other groups have ventured firmer opinions on dognapping trends. The Alexandria Times quoted a claim by Tom Sharp, president and CEO of AKC Reunite (part of the American Kennel Club) that the number of stolen dogs has increased 70% from 2010 to 2021. Taking a different approach, others estimate that around “two million dogs are victims of theft each year in the United States. Sadly, only about 10% of these stolen dogs are reunited with their families.” Some sources claim that dog thefts up 30% since 2021, driven by the COVID pandemic creating more demand for companion animals.

What can you do to protect your pet?

Experts recommend several common approaches to protecting your pet from abductors.

• Microchip your pet and make sure the contact information is current. If a lost pet ends up at a vet or found by a bystander, a chip is the best way for your animal friend to get back to you. A microchip can even reunite owners with a pet brought out of state.
• Don’t leave pets unattended outside a store or in your car while running errands. Most pet snatching comes as a crime of opportunity, so limit the opportunities.
• Secure your backyard with cameras and motion sensors, especially if the area can be readily accessed by others.
• Chewy adds the added value of spaying and neutering. Resale to breeders is believed to be a strong motive in dognapping.
• As with human kidnapping, current pictures of your pet give authorities an accurate view of the object of their search.
• If a pet is lost, do post signs to alert the neighbors you are looking but refrain from posting a dollar amount to any reward “because the dognappers will know that you have the money on hand and they may wait for a bigger reward.”
• I will personally add that thieves targeting valuable, elite breeds is yet another reason to look to your local shelter for a valuable-only-to-you, very much not elite, pet for you to rescue.
• For those who witness a dognapping, a pet website recommends calling the police, and talking to other potential witnesses if you are sure of what you saw; otherwise, “immediately record any information you can remember about the dog and the assailant while it’s fresh in your memory. You can then talk to people who also witnessed the crime to see if you can find out who the dog actually belongs to.”

Whether this despicable crime is truly on the rise or merely getting fresh attention, its new prevalence calls for new responsibilities for pet lovers based on yet another horrific thing people will do for money or thrills.

About the Author: Ken Byrer is a writer living in Alexandria.