According to animal advocates, the incidence of dog theft in the U.S. is up 32 percent in 2011, reports the
Sun Times.
The numbers, reported by The American Kennel Club, show at least a 32 percent increase so far in 2011. The thefts are kept track of through a national database that bases its numbers on reports of stolen dogs in the media and individual reports of theft by customers calling its Companion Animal Recovery service.
According to the database, 224 animals were stolen during the first part of 2011, compared with 150 during the same time last year. In 2010, there were only 255 total animal thefts; in 2009, 162 thefts were reported.
“Some are taken out of homes, some are taken out of cars, some are taken out of pet stores,” Lisa Peterson, spokeswoman for the New York-based canine advocacy group said. “I’ve even seen some taken out of a child’s arms on a park bench.
The figures only reflect stolen animals, not lost dogs, according to Peterson.
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