THE LOBBY group Dog Theft Action [DTA] has undergone several changes during the Christmas and New Year break.

The group’s website address has now changed to www.dogtheftaction.com and the format has slimmed down to make it more user friendly.

Website administrator Nick Nawrockyi says: "The site is now much easier to negotiate. Visitors can quickly access what they need and carry on with their objectives. A new page has been added called ‘At you fingertips’ to allow the victims of dog theft to find relevant addresses and telephone numbers quickly. Visitors can obtain contact details and maps all from one page to help them in their search for their missing dog.

"When our dog was stolen we would have appreciated this kind of information – you can’t think properly at such an emotionally charged time – you can spend valuable search time looking for people and organisations that can help you. We hope that the public will suggest other useful contact details so that the victims of dog theft can benefit."

Co-operate and co-ordinate

Another change is that Jayne Hayes, founder of Doglost UK has now resigned from DTA to concentrate her efforts on her own organisation. DTA will continue with the campaign to make the theft of a dog a crime in the UK. DTA hopes to encourage all agencies concerned in this issue to co-operate and co-ordinate their efforts so that more stolen dogs can be reunited with their owners.

New advisors

Several new advisors have joined the advisory panel and details of these will appear in future bulletins. However, it was a sign of their support for this campaign that so many existing and new advisors attended the DTA Summit in November at the Kennel Club. This meeting was unprecedented – there has never been a meeting of so many individuals and representatives of organisations from the canine world that focussed totally on dog theft. Those present were keen to take forward resolutions and suggestions made during the Summit.

Future direction

DTA have met with Government Whip Ian Cawsey MP for Brigg and Goole since the Summit to discuss future direction to bring this campaign to the attention of key political figures especially those involved in the All Party Group on Animal Welfare [APGAW]. DTA is also hopeful that the Animal Welfare Bill, when enacted will have a significant impact on dog theft. Various animal welfare-related laws will be enforceable by local authorities with the potential to include dog theft in their ‘best practice’ procedures.

Crufts stand

DTA’s next public appearance is at Crufts in March. The Kennel Club [KC] have offered us a stand at the NEC so DTA will be out in force once again for all four days of the show, asking all visitors to this most prestigious event in the dog calendar to stop for a moment to think about the implications of dog theft. We are exceptionally grateful for this extremely generous gesture from the KC who has embraced our campaign whole-heartedly. We cannot fail to discuss our aims and objectives with even more dog lovers and owners than last year, when undeterred by adverse weather conditions we approached thousands of visitors as they made their way to the various halls. This year we will be inside, with our own stand but the message will be the same - co-operation and co-ordination – the only answer.

Margaret Nawrockyi,
DTA Co-ordinator
01652 688089

www.dogtheftaction.com
admin@dogtheftaction.com