Keep your dog safe

Dog owners in the New Forest are being asked to make sure their pets are kept safe and secure to help stamp out dog thefts in the district.

NFDC's dog warden service is asking residents who have dogs that are kept outside to padlock kennels, garden gates and fences to keep them from being stolen.

Dogs are being stolen and held to ransom for large sums of money Neil Burton, dog warden at New Forest District Council

Dog owners are urged to be more responsible after two men, both wearing high-visibility jackets, were seen holding down a stray dog with a grasper pole outside Hounsdown Hall in Totton.  Enquiries by the dog warden service revealed the men were not Hampshire police or RSPCA.

"The most important thing is to make sure you know where your dog is at all times," said Neil Burton, dog warden at New Forest District Council.  "Dogs are being stolen and held to ransom for large sums of money.  Some thieves even pretend they have found the dog to claim the reward.  Most people just pay up to get their dog back safely."

The Dog Warden Service promotes responsible dog ownership within the New Forest and provides a range of services, including:

For more information about the Dog Warden Service, or if you have any information about the above incident, please contact Neil Burton or Natasha Pardoe-Matthews on 023 8028 5131.