The dog breeds most likely to be stolen by pet thieves in Yorkshire

Almost 2,000 dogs were reported stolen in the UK last year - with more than 250 being snatched from owners in Yorkshire.

And it seems as though pet thieves have their eyes on certain breeds of dog too, with Staffordshire Bull Terriers topping the list of the most stolen dogs in the UK.

The figures were obtained by the Dogs Trust from a Freedom of Information Request, which also revealed that more than 1,000 dogs were nicked directly from homes and gardens in 2018.

The figures show that more than five dogs a week are stolen in Yorkshire alone, with the Dogs Trust urging owners to take more care of keeping their pooches safe.

Almost twice as many Staffordshire Bull Terriers (192) were stolen than any other breed of dog, with Chihuahuas (104) and French Bulldogs (88) second and third on the list.

Jack Russells (82) and Pugs (58) rounded off the top five of the most-stolen dog breeds.

More dogs were stolen from houses than anywhere else, although more than 3000 were stolen from gardens - with pet thieves brazenly taking dogs directly from their homes.

Amanda Sands, Dogs Trust Leeds manager, said: "Unsecured gardens or homes can be an easy target for thieves.

"As the days get warmer and people start to socialize in their gardens, we couldn't think of a better time to remind dog owners to check the access points to their home and garden - this includes looking for gaps in your fence and other property boundaries to keep your dog in and intruders out."

Owners are also advised to ensure their dogs were a collar and tag at all times, while pooches can also be microchipped.

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