2,500 dogs and 3,200 cats go missing every week in the UK

According to the Missing Pets Bureau, more than 2,500 dogs and 3,200 cats go missing every week in the UK. Worse, 38% of these dogs are actually thought to be stolen, usually for ransom, resale or breeding purposes.

The MPB has established a list of dog and cat breeds that are the most likely to be at risk of theft.

Dogs: English Springer Spaniel, Border Terrier, Boxer, Yorkshire Terrier, Labrador Retriever.
Cats: Burmese, Persian, Siamese, Maine Coon, British Short Hair.

The Purrmuda Triangle

Lately in the news has emerged the story of the Purrmuda Triangle, a six-street area in Woolaston (West Midlands) where an unlikely high number of cats have gone missing in the past 8 years. But the problem expands outside this area as suggests Sainsbury’s Pet Insurance Manager Neal Devine: “It is clear that the problem is rife in Woolaston. Our research shows that cats are almost seven times more likely to go missing than dogs but it’s very difficult to know for sure if a missing cat has been stolen, lost or suffered an accident. The scale of the problem is also underestimated because it’s not always reported to the police – only 12% of people who have lost their pet over the past five years actually notified them”.

Pet insurance can help

Pet insurance can help with the costs of advertising and offering reward in case your pet goes astray. Most pet owners turn to their neighbourhood when the can’t find their pet: they place posters, sometimes advertise in local newspapers and also offer reward money to whoever will bring their pet back. It is important to know that you have financial resources to find your pet in such circumstances. If you don’t get it back, some pet insurers will also give you the price you paid for your pet.

See below how different insurers compare on such benefits as “lost by theft or straying” and ” advertising and reward costs”.

Pet insurer	Loss by Theft or Straying Up to	Advertising Costs Up to	Reward Costs Up to	More Info
	£1,500	£1,250	£750	more information
	£1,500	£1,000	£300	more information
	£1,500	£1,000	£1,000	more information
	-	£250	£250	more information

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