December 22, 2008

A recent rash of pet thefts might be linked to a worsening economy, and the need for a potential quick buck made on animal sales. (Pet Pulse Photo by John Parker)

DENVER -- As the economy worsens, reports of property theft are on the rise all across the country.

In Sarasota County, Fla., burglaries are up 20 percent, according to local authorities. In one Atlanta neighborhood, there were 50 home break-ins, all in just one week. Police departments in Philadelphia, Chicago, Columbus, Ohio, and even Pierre, S.D., are noticing the trend.

What may not be so apparent is the increasing number of pet thefts across the country. Incident reports lump the family cat or dog in with stolen televisions and microwaves.

But the loss of one's pet, rather than a new laptop, tends to create a more withstanding, emotional toll on robbery victims.

In one Denver neighborhood, eight Shih Tzus are missing -- all stolen out of their family's backyards.

Three of the dogs belong to Orva Lee Herrera.

"It was a Friday, and they were hanging out in the backyard," Herrera said. "My mom had let them out for about an hour, and when I came to let them in, they were gone."

Herrera immediately filed a police report, and believes that 7-year-old Pebbles, 3-year-old Peanut and 2-year-old Tinkerbell were most likely snatched by someone who reached over the fence and grabbed them.

"Our gates are always locked, and there's no way they can jump over the fence, so I knew immediately they were stolen," Herrera said.

Herrera was making dinner in the kitchen, just feet away from her backyard, when the incident occurred. The only possible indication of warning lay in the dogs' audible barking, but since they always bark when they're outside, she didn't think anything of the noise.

In hopes of finding her three pets, Herrera reached out to the public on CraigsList.org, posting her story in hopes of finding a lead. Instead, she learned that there were five other Shih Tzus missing in her area.

"I got e-mails saying, I'm sorry I don't have your dog, but I just thought I'd let you know that my dogs have been stolen as well," Herrera said.

What happened to Orva and her family could very well be tied to the failing economy.

With millions of Americans out of work, millions more are feeling the credit crunch.

Mac Clouse, Ph.D., an economist with the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver, says the situation is dire.

"It definitely is the worst since the Depression," Clouse said. "We have so many things going wrong right now."

Clouse says history has proven that when times get tough, desperate people find desperate solutions to get by.

"They've lost their jobs, there are no jobs out there, they're hungry," said Clouse. "And as a result, property crimes and the opportunity to steal things and sell them could be their last resort."

As many as two million pets will be stolen this year, according to StolenPets.com. The Web site says the animals may be resold through newspaper advertisements, or over the Internet. The animals might also be used for breeding, or sold to medical research facilities.

"The people who are doing this, they have a network," Clouse said. "They are out there looking for dogs that they think would be popular in the dog selling market."

At the Herrera house, there is a feeling of uneasiness. The family has installed security cameras that now watch the backyard.

"We don't know how safe we really are," Herrera said.

Herrera knows that the thieves could have sold Pebbles, Peanut and Tinkerbell to another family. She just hopes that they're being taken care of, and if any potential new owners knew the circumstances, they would be willing to return the dogs.

"Hopefully, they're good people that understand that they were stolen from our family," Herrera said. "And we just want them back."

To help protect your pets, make sure they're micro chipped, and have collars and tags. Never leave them unattended in a parked car, or even in the backyard. It only takes someone a few seconds to grab them and run.

If you have information about any of these missing dogs, e-mail Orva Herrera at orva_herrera@live.com.

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