Dog stolen from Dogs Trust Evesham: still seeking Saluki cross

As you might have read on the BBC or other news sites, thieves broke into Dogs Trust Evesham late at night on the 26th March, forced kennel locks and stole a dog. He has still not been found.

Alfie (pictured) is a nervous 4 year old Saluki cross and the centre staff are making an urgent appeal to the local community to report any sightings of him.

Chris Slight, centre manager, explains:

“The kennel doors were forced open last night and Alfie was taken. He is neutered, and we’re worried that once the thieves realise they cannot breed from him they will just abandon him or he may come to harm.

He is slim, black and tan and has short fur but longer hair on his ears. If you spot a dog matching this description please contact the centre or police.”

Any sightings should be reported to Dogs Trust Evesham on 01386 830 613 or Broadway police on 0845 7444888 ext 3777.

Guest Review: Retrieva GPS Tracking for Dogs

Our next guest blog comes courtesy of the lovely Paul Smith / @moolife, who has been one of the trial group for Retrieva's GPS collar. A microchip is an indispensible way to identify a lost dog that's been handed in, but for Paul being able to track his dog (and the people walking him) is a crucial feature. Read more in his own words:

Overall the Retrieva GPS collar is a life saver, which makes it invaluable.

It incorporates several levels of safety as well as three ways to locate your dog. It's not cheap, but what price do you put on your dog if you consider him or her to be part of your family? I used to use the product offered by a company called Zoombak. They no longer supply the UK market, and whilst their product was very 'clever' it wasn't really suitable for dogs since it wasn't integrated into a collar and wasn't waterproof. I'd first met with the Retrieva people when they showed their prototype at Crufts nearly two years ago. When Zoombak left the UK market I became a one of Retrieva's first customers trialling their product (I paid for my unit so I am able to be impartial!)

Functionality

The device offers essentially three functions (on top of being a collar!).

Firstly, and probably the reason to purchase, dog locating. The device contains a GPS receiver and a GSM phone. Put simply, this means that the collar can see where it is via GPS and then report that position to you via text message. When the dog is visible from the sky the device locates with pin point accuracy. We've had no problems at all. Should the dog not be out in the open (ie perhaps if it had been stolen) you can switch the device (via text message) to another mode that allows search by radio wave - haven't had to use that (thank God). If those two aren't good enough, you can also get details of which phone 'cells' the device is talking to. It's also capable to set a 'geofence' which sets a boundary around where your dog is. For us this hasn't proved particularly useful but I know they are working to improve all the functions.

Secondly, the collar is made of an anti-cut material. Given the collar's price I haven't set about cutting it to see how tough it is, but it certainly seems strong, and has some sort of thin metal cabel embedded in the fabric (still comfortable though).

Thirdly, and this is very clever, the device has a panic button. I do feel more secure knowing that if my wife felt in danger or was injured when walking the dog she could press the little red button and it would send out an emergency text with her exact location to me. Very clever.

In use

In use the device is working well. By total coincidence the first day we used the product our dog briefly went missing. We were still panicking, but the collar worked a treat. There was an anxious wait for about a minute until the text came through with the location, but we put the GPS co-ordinates into my phone and got a map up on google and found him straight away. So that's one expensive collar delivering a result straight away. He'd never been far away, and I'm sure we'd have found him eventually but it was the best money I've ever spent.
The instructions are quite complicated. But persevere, once you've used it a few times the 'code' you have to learn to text to the collar is quite straightforward.
Build quality

The product seems very sturdy. We've had it a week or so, and so far had no problems. It's definitely water proof, and seems comfortable for our dog, although it's quite bulky it is ergonomic so fits round is neck.

Customer care

So far this has been excellent. They emailed yesterday to say they were making changes to the software based on a few suggestions from other triallists. They are also very quick to respond.

Cost

Not cheap. About £250 for the collar and charger, and then £10 a month for the connection to the phone network. But as we've found already, it's a drop in the ocean when you're faced with losing a family member. Economic times are tight, and I feel awful when I hear about people abandoning their dogs due to the economy, but the reality is that most people would still do anything for their pet. As you can tell from my review, I'm a real product advocate. I love it and hope other people will consider using one too. It's probably not for everyone - we use it because our dog has access to open countryside and it's impossible to 100% guarantee that he couldn't run off.

If you live on a farm or similar this device is probably perfect. Perhaps if you have a lap-dog in a flat it's not quite so useful. You can buy them from www.retrievatracking.com

Please note that Paul is not a member of the Retrieva team and is speaking solely from his own experiences. If you have a product review, a doggy topic you'd like to talk about or any other ideas for a guest blog, please drop us a line!

Bailey the Chihuahua survives two weeks trapped in shelter

Olivia Wilkes was heartbroken when her tiny Chihuahua, Bailey, went missing on a walk after he took off in pursuit of a fox. Two weeks of searching, putting up posters, handing out leaflets and setting up a Facebook group had been fruitless.

Then fellow Poole, Dorset resident and local builder Dave Lindsay, who had received a leaflet, happened to hear a dog whimpering while out and about; he followed the sound and discovered teeny Bailey trapped at the bottom of a World War II air raid shelter, some 10 feet down.

Mrs. Wilkes, 26, said: 'It's incredible that he survived for so long. The vet said he must have drunk the rain that fell in the hole and ate insects.'

Despite being a little skinny and subdued, Bailey was rescued just in time and is making a full recovery, safely at home with Mrs. Wilkes, her husband and their two children.

If you've lost your dog and need to know what to do next, or want to plan against every eventuality, please see Dogs Trust's website for helpful tips to find your beloved pet.


[via Metro]

Ricky Gervais and Jonathan Ross help search for stolen Whippet, Manon

I mentioned this story a few days ago, but it seems that Manon the Whippet has still not been found. In desperation her owners have contacted Dogs Trust, asking us to spread the word about their beloved pup. Although they live in the Hampstead Heath area, it is possible Manon was stolen and is being 'hidden' outside London, so keep your eyes peeled wherever you are.

Local residents Ricky Gervais and Jonathan Ross are also involved with the search, both taking to the streets to look around and donating towards the reward fund.

If you have a blog or website and you can post the image above, please do so. A lost pet causes a great deal of worry and distress to any family, and we all sincerely hope Manon - who is microchipped - can be located soon.

If you have any information at all, please don't hesitate to call and help put some dedicated dog owners out of their misery.

Microchipping: the Kennel Club urges the public to update their Petlog information

The UK Kennel Club's Petlog is the largest reunification scheme in the country, and it supports the details of 3.5 million pet owners, with 40,000 joining a month.

Having handled over 89,000 calls in 2007, the service is responsible for helping thousands of owners be reunited with their lost or stolen dogs. Unfortunately, some of these reunions are made far more difficult by the fact that pet owners move house and forget to update their details. Sometimes a dog changes hands and the new owners also fail to

It is vitally important that there is always a current, working telephone number at which you can be contacted on Petlog's database. It could be the difference between getting your dog back or having him processed as a stray by the Local Authority. When apparent strays are not claimed within the week, the LA has the choice of handing them on to a rehoming charity but some are ultimately humanely euthanised.

Microchipping can help prevent a lot of heartbreak and an unncessarily lengthy stay in the kennels for your dog. Since a microchip is embedded in the skin, it cannot fall or be taken off like the statutory collar and tag.

All dogs that pass through Dogs Trust's care are microchipped. It costs around £20-30 at a vets, but some of our Rehoming Centres offer the service at a reduced price. Just give your local centre a call to find out more.

If you've moved home recently and haven't yet updated your microchip details, you can update your records online. To record a Change of Ownership, just call Petlog on 0870 606 6751 for assistance.

Ricky Gervais in hunt for lost dog

Ricky Gervais is our hero today for stepping in to help a neighbour find their lost dog. The missing pup, a Whippet called Manon, was featured in Gervais' local paper.

Not only has he been scouring parks and gardens looking for the dog, he's also roped in local friends and residents including Jonathan Ross to help speed up the search.

I hope he's able to find Manon and reunite him with his owner, who must be worried sick. Here's hoping he's microchipped, too... (Manon, not Ricky - thanks, Andy!).

Don't forget to visit the Dogs Trust website for more information on what to do if you've lost your dog.

[via The Mirror]

Dogs Trust lost dog appeal: have you seen Jasmine the Staffy?

Dog owners in the Mitcham area and across the country are being reminded that dogs can be lost and stolen all too easily. Two-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier Jasmine (pictured), went missing from her enclosed back garden in Mitcham on Sunday, the possible victim of a dog theft.

Neutered and microchipped, young Jasmine appears to have been the latest in a string of recent dog thefts in the area.

All too often, Dogs Trust hears of pedigree and crossbred dogs being stolen for ransom, breeding, hunting, selling on to unsuspecting members of the public, or, worst of all, for use by dog fighting rings. Prevention is definitely better than cure, as getting your dog back is very difficult.

Five tips for ensuring your dog's safety:

• Microchip your dog, remembering to update your contact details every time they change.
• Make sure your dog is wearing a collar and tag with your name, address and phone number (not his / her name, as it can make them more likely to trust a stranger). A collar and ID tag is a legal requirement.
• If your dog is neutered, consider stating this on a tag attached to their collar. This might put off certain types of thief, especially if they're a pedigree.
• Never leave a dog unattended outside a shop, in a parked car or in an unobserved garden.
• Immediately report stolen dogs to the police and local dog warden.

If you have seen Jasmine or have any information on her whereabouts please contact Megan on 07852 345731 or 07834 049773 anytime. Confidentiality guaranteed.