Thieves stealing dogs for lucrative, illegal business
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ATLANTA, GA (WGCL) — Nearly two million pets are stolen every year. The pandemic has pushed that number even higher as more people are interested in getting a pet while they work from home. The demand has led to a devastating trend called dog flipping– when pets are stolen and re-sold for profit.
“I’ve definitely seen the ads and we monitor them a lot. You’re talking about a french bulldog like in Lady Gaga’s case, those are $4,000-$5,000 potentially, per dog,” explains Marc Peralta, who works with Best Friends Animal Society.
Often times, dogs are stolen right out of people’s yards. In metro Atlanta, slider crimes are providing a perfect opportunity for pet nabbers. Earlier this month, Twix, a french bulldog puppy, was taken in a stolen car. Last fall, the same thing happened to another french bulldog named Stormy. A golden doodle was recently stolen from Buckhead, and a yorkie in Brookhaven.
“Basically, purebred dogs or designer crossbreeds like a labradoodle are the dogs that are most sought after to sell at higher prices through the internet,” explains Peralta.
He adds that labradoodles, french bulldogs, pugs, and standard poodles are breeds that could be targeted.
Owners can prevent their dog from being stolen by planning ahead to make sure they aren’t left in a vulnerable position. Owners should also make sure they have pictures of their animals, license their dogs if their city requires it, and make sure the dog is microchipped.
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