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Are People Really Stealing Dogs?
You might have seen headlines this week that somebody shot Lady Gaga’s dogwalker and stole two of her three French bulldogs (the third escaped).
The dogs were later found tied to a lamp post. This might seem to be a truly bizarre incident, but the fact is that dog theft does happen…and French bulldogs are particularly likely victims.
(Likely the thieves abandoned the dogs when they realized they’d taken dogs belonging to a celebrity that they wouldn’t be able to fence, although I’m surprised they didn’t just claim the half a million reward Lady Gaga offers).
Why are Dogs Stolen?
The same reason anything else is stolen. Purebred dogs are worth money. Your back yard mutt isn’t at risk of being taken, but French bulldogs are worth about $1,500 each.
Toy dogs and puppies are more likely to be stolen. The thieves then sell them, undercutting the prices charged by reputable breeders.
Intact dogs are often stolen and used for breeding, and an owner may recover their bitch to find out she’s pregnant with a litter that can’t be registered (and then risk the animal to birth complications). Even worse, dogs have been taken to use as bait to train fighting dogs and it’s not a total myth about them ending up in shady labs.