Dognappers are said to be brazenly stealing dogs from their owners, sometimes right in front of their eyes.

Be vigilant always

A report by The Sun shows that this has been happening for awhile now, and the latest incident reportedly happened on Sunday (28 June).

Criminals seem to have no fear nowaday.

According to the report, a 58-year-old woman was walking her pet Shih Tzu at around 7.40am when a man in a heavily-tinted car stopped near her.

He then asked if the dog belonged to her and when she answered yes, the man swiftly cut off the dog leash and sped off with the poor doggo.

In another incident, two men reportedly climbed over the fences in a man's home and dognapped his chihuahua.

When the victim posted missing dog posters around his neighbourhood, the criminals had the audacity to call him and allegedly ask him to pay RM1,000 in ransom.

Thankfully, for the victim, he managed to get his pet doggo back for half the amount, but the man didn't make a police report.

What you can do as a dog owner

It's scary how little fear criminals seem to have nowadays, and losing your pet is like losing a family member.

If you're a dog owner, here are some tips on how you can keep them safe:

1) Know that some breeds of dogs are more valuable than others

If you have a pure breed dog, especially of the smaller variety, you have to be extra careful as they fetch a pretty price in the market.

Smaller dogs are easier to catch and less scary, so dognappers tend to go for them too. If you own a small dog, pay extra attention to them, OK?

2) Neuter your pets

Pure breed dogs are sometimes taken to be sent to puppy mills to breed. This is a torturous process for the dogs as they are impregnated much too often, making it very unsafe for them.

Having your dogs neutered not only prevents dognapping for the purpose of breeding, but it also reduces your pet's desire to roam.

3) Have a collar or install a microchip

Make sure your dog is always wearing a collar with its name and information on it, so that if someone finds it, they can return them to you easily.

4) Be aware of strangers in your neighbourhood

This is something you should do anyway, but especially if you have pets at home. Always keep a lookout for any kind of danger and work with your neighbours to keep your area safe.