Dognapping: Small Dogs at Great Risk

May 15, 2007 — -- Dognapping isn't about snoozing in the sun.

As the value of rare dog breeds has climbed, so have reports of stolen puppies across the country.

In Los Angeles today, two men charged with stealing puppies at gunpoint will go to trial. Surveillance cameras captured the robbery of three tiny Yorkshire terriers worth more than $2,000 each.

Halfway across the country, in Bolingbrook, Ill., burglars trashed the home of the Deatrick family and made off with their pug, Pixie.

"We're all heartbroken because he was part of the family," Dorean Deatrick said.

In some cases, thieves resell pricey dogs, or in rare cases even hold them for ransom.

"There has always been theft of animals, and I definitely think that toy breeds are now a higher profile," said Deborah Cooper, of the International Kennel Club of Chicago.

Celebrities like Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie helped boost the popularity of pocketbook pooches. Though the dogs' bodies are tiny, their price tags are huge. Samantha Kaplan, manager of Pocket Puppies, estimates some baby Yorkies sell for $800 per pound.

"Definitely because of their size they're much easier to shove inside your jacket or into a bag," she said.

Because the dogs are tough to breed, the growing demand for tiny dogs outstrips supply. To combat theft, one Chicago pet store set up surveillance cameras and strict procedures. For security reasons, only three puppies are allowed out of their cages at once, and only behind a locked gate.

Of the millions of dogs that disappear every year, experts say most simply wander away. Technology like the microchip can help reunite owners with their pets, whether they're lost or stolen.

"It is an ID piece that is in the dog forever," Cooper said. "A dognapper, if you will, cannot remove that microchip."