Dognappings reported, but no dogs taken

HAVERHILL—There has been a recent uptick in the amount of attempted dog thefts reported in the Haverhill area.
On Sept 6, Haverhill Animal Control Officer Andrea Brissette posted this on Facebook: “I have heard a lot about dogs being stolen out of vehicles and out of their own yards. It seems to be a growing issue in our area.” She went on to advise people not to leave their animals unsupervised and to leave their dogs at home when they have to run errands.
Under that post, Haverhill resident Pauline Corzilius commented that a car with Vermont license plates recently pulled up to a woman’s yard in Bath and attempted to lure her dogs into their car, a report confirmed by the Bath Police Department. They were not successful. BPD said they are investigating the incident.
She also noted that there was a similar rash of dog thefts about four years ago in the St. Johnsbury area.
Brissette said she does not have many details, other than a few reports of possible attempted thefts. And it does not sound like any dogs have actually been stolen.
Still, dognapping is not unheard of and British authorities have reported an increase in dog thefts since the pandemic as dog prices have risen.
In the United States, an estimated 2 million animals are victims of dog theft each year. High-value breeds are at the highest risk of being targeted to be resold for a profit. It’s a scheme known as “dog flipping.”

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