TODAY in a social media post, Test Valley Police made a statement claiming dog thefts are rare.

It come after a string of social media posts have circulated in the area that claim dogs are being routinely stolen from across rural areas.

The statement opened with: “Dog thefts –Are rare. Where they do occur they are appalling crimes. “What are you doing about all the dog thefts?!”

“Is a question we are very often asked. It is a difficult question to answer… because we are not having dog thefts reported.

“At least on nowhere near the scale that people are concerned about. “

Test Valley police state that over the past 6 months in the police force have had one identified report of a dog being stolen by a stranger.

They claim other stolen dog reports relate to ex-partners taking the family pet or disputed ownership of a dog.

The statement continued: “We regularly receive reports of suspicious incidents around dog theft, including people believing that there have had ‘signs’ placed outside of their properties to apparently indicate that there are dogs within to steal.

“Such concerns however are not substantiated by actual reports of dogs being taken locally.

“It may be that some offences have not been reported to police. If so this is unwise. All dogs must now be microchipped by law, and any recovered can be very easily identified and reunited with their owners.”

Whilst Test Valley police have recognised that dog theft is a crime that does occur nationally, they state is does not occur at the rate that people often believe it to.

It concluded: “People love their pets and theft of them would be an immensely distressing event.

“A lot of the concern appears however to stem from social media.

“Many of these posts are created and shared with good intentions but may actually cause undue concern and distress.

“Dogs are NOT being routinely stolen from across rural areas as some of these reports appear to indicate.”

If you have been a victim of a dog theft, which has not yet been reported, dial in on 101 or report online at www.hampshire.police.uk.