Loosing or having your pet stolen is very distressing, take these simple precautions to stop it from happening to you
Keep your gate locked at all times, use a chain and padlock
Don't advertise your dog freely, i.e. don't let him in the front garden to greet strangers/passers by
Lock your dog/cat inside when you leave the house
Don't let your dog roam the streets, this is a danger to your dog and drivers of vehicles
Your pet should have some kind of identity tag. Prefably a licence disc with a name, address and telephone number
Spay/neuter your dog/cat, this will prevent them from straying during mating season
Get your dog tatooed, this will make it more difficult for your dog to be sold on, and will also be vital in indentifying your dog if found.
Get your dog microchipped, this will help in identifying your dog if found.