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9th May 2019
Posted by Aston Avery
The number of dogs reported stolen in the UK has risen for the fourth consecutive year.
A new FOI Report from Direct Line Pet Insurance reveals in 2018 there were 1,959 dogs reported stolen to UK police forces – 80 more than in 2017, despite fewer police forces responding to a request for this data.
On average, five dogs are reported stolen every single day across the UK.
East of England Stolen dogs
| Police Force | 2017 | 2018 | Total, 2017-18 | Change, 2017-18 |
| Bedfordshire Police | 18 | 8 | 26 | -56% |
| Cambridgeshire Constabulary | 39 | 41 | 80 | 5% |
| Essex Police | 41 | 43 | 84 | 5% |
| Hertfordshire Constabulary | 24 | 22 | 46 | -8% |
| Norfolk Constabulary | 48 | 7 | 55 | -85% |
| Suffolk Constabulary | 7 | 13 | 20 | 86% |
| East of England | 177 | 134 | 311 | -24% |
Returned dogs
| Police Force | 2017 | 2018 | Total, 2017-18 | Change, 2017-18 |
| Bedfordshire Police | No data | No data | No data | No data |
| Cambridgeshire Constabulary | 6 | 5 | 11 | -17% |
| Essex Police | 6 | 3 | 9 | -50% |
| Hertfordshire Constabulary | 12 | 13 | 25 | 8% |
| Norfolk Constabulary | 31 | 4 | 35 | -87% |
| Suffolk Constabulary | 5 | 11 | 16 | 120% |
| East of England | 60 | 36 | 96 | 0 |
Aston spoke to editor of Dogs Today and Dogs Monthly magazines Beverley Cuddy about as to why dog theft is on the rise.