DogLost’s founder, Jayne Hayes, has won another award for the outstanding work that the organisation does.

This time it’s from campaigning dog magazine, Dogs Today. Their annual medal awards are made to people who have made the world a better place.

Said Jayne: “I’m totally honoured – but only accept this medal on behalf of all the people who come together for DogLost.”

Jayne was presented with her medal at the London Pet Show by Owen of Owen and Haatchi fame.

DogLost will be participating in Pet Theft Awareness Week again. The initiative, which ran for the first time last year, is designed to highlight the issue of theft and help owners prevent it.

As one of the main groups behind the event, DogLost has joined forces with campaign groups Dog Theft Action and Vets Get Scanning. We are also partnered with the Kennel Club, Petlog and Halo Scanners.

During the week DogLost and some of its partners will get the message over in the media. And together with the Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare we hope to persuade the government to increase the penalties for dog theft.

The campaign, which starts on Friday 14 March, is funded by the Dog Union and Viovet. http://www.pettheft.co.uk

DogLost will be at Crufts this year and can be found with Dog World in Hall 4, stand 78.

We will be talking about our new website, offering advice to owners and recruiting new helpers.

Celebrity supporter, Jilly, last year’s winner and one of the world’s top dogs, will be in the main arena when the Kennel Club will be presented with a painting of her.

Crufts runs from Thursday 6 March – Sunday 9 March at the NEC.

DogLost helped reunite 7,280 dogs in 2013, the most in any year since it started 10 years ago.

Nearly 12,000 owners turned to DogLost for help – some 15% more than the previous year. Said founder, Jayne Hayes, “Some of that increase is due to the continued rise in dog theft, but increased awareness of our success has brought more and more people to us.”

Jayne Hayes won the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s Innovation Award this year, and Crufts winner, Jilly, raised more than £17,000 with her Jilly’s Jolly Jaunt.

DogLost got over 1/3rd of a million visits this month, with almost 1.5 million page views. We set a new daily record of just under 19,000 visits yesterday.

Throughout the year, DogLost was forever in the media with press, online and broadcast media recognising the organisation as the authority on lost and stolen dogs.

Since DogLost started 10 years ago, much of its success has been through the dedication of its national network of volunteer co-ordinators.

This month 17 of them were presented with long-service awards for five – and in one case – 10 years.

Pictured here is Lincs co-ordinator, Ashmark, receiving her award.

Following a huge increase in the theft of gundogs, DogLost has launched an initiative to highlight the issue amongst owners across the country.

With the shooting season in full swing, DogLost co-ordinators are targeting shoots to make owners aware of the issue and to offer advice on how to keep their dogs safe.

Said campaign co-ordinator, Sue Herbert, who looks after the mainly rural area of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire: “Theft from kennels is rife and owners need to know that they should be much more diligent over their dogs. They need to review security and consider the use of alarms and cctv.”

DogLost also advises that owners of gundogs get advice from police crime prevention officers and don’t leave their dogs unattended.

Top tips are:
• Take a fresh look at your security
• Ensure your dogs are microchipped
• Never leave a dog unsecured or unattended
• If you run a shoot ensure all helpers are known and trusted
• Be careful who you speak to regarding your dog’s remarkable capabilities !

In the last year thefts of gundogs – particularly from kennels – has quadrupled. One Sussex gamekeeper was targeted twice in three days with a total of seven dogs taken. Whilst most are being used or sold on it the UK, it is believed that some are stolen to order and taken to Ireland or Europe.

“Police are beginning to take the issue much more seriously with dog theft being part of the brief for rural teams.” continued DogLost spokesperson, Nik Oakley. “Forces in Kent, Surrey, Hampshire and Thames Valley are leading the way.”

DogLost is teaming up with Marc the Vet in his campaign to ban the cruel practice of puppy farming.

Through Pup Aid, Marc has launched a petition to get all puppies for sale seen with their mothers.

Said Marc: “Most dog owners say they’d never buy a dog from a puppy farm, yet a large number will due to common scams especially by private dealers.”

“We need 100,000 signatures from the nation’s animal lovers to make the Government listen and hopefully end this needless and preventable suffering for good.”

“The Government must ban the sale of young puppies and kittens unless their mothers are present,” continued Marc, “as an absent mother is a clear compromise of both health and welfare for these animals and often a big clue indicating puppy farming.”

Said a spokesperson for DogLost: “Inevitably puppy-farmed dogs are prone to illness and are far more likely to be discarded. We want to reduce the number of dogs that end up on our website because owners can’t cope with them.”

To sign the petition go to: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/49528