Around 3.2 million UK households have bought an animal companion since the pandemic began, according to pet population figures from the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association (PFMA). As a result, prices of puppies, in particular, have soared and, sadly, dog thefts have seen a massive spike.
Charity DogLost has recorded a 250 per cent increase in dognappings from March 2020 to March 2021, its senior police liaison coordinator, Wayne May, tells The Independent.
An RSPCA spokesperson tells The Independent that the organisation believes that a rise in pet thefts could be the result of “the surging popularity, and