Cuddle your pets, lest they vanish in a wink

One pet goes missing every four days in Bahrain, says activist 

Manama

 Losing a pet animal is just like the demise of a family member for any true pet lover! But for dognappers, it’s a snap to make quick bucks. Recent reports suggest that stealing of pets are rampant and on the rise in the Kingdom.

 According to BSPCA volunteer and Coordinator of the Missing Pets Project Peg Altemueller, one pet goes missing every four days in Bahrain. 

 “Unfortunately it’s a very sad event for people. A few pets are ever reunited and many people don't even share with us how exactly they got their pets back. I think due to embarrassment, people do not approach the police,” Peg Altemueller said.

 “Of the few that are reunited... some are due to posting the information on Facebook, some by the owner’s efforts and also the flyers put up in various locations might have helped them,” she observed.  

 Hundreds of pets have gone missing since the Lost Pets Facebook site was created in January 2013. Reportedly there are pet theft rackets operating in many areas of the Kingdom. The stolen pets are often sold for profit, used for breeding, used as bait for dogfights or abused by people.

 Recently the owner of a dog got it back when the greedy dognapper tried to sell the same dog to the owner after shaving off the dog’s fur. But the dog responded with its usual affectionate mien to him and the owner recognised the dog. 

 BSPCA, non-profit organisation dedicated to the welfare of animals in the Kingdom, advises people to notify the police immediately, when someone’s pet animal goes missing. Stolen pets are often sold in Isa Town local market, roadside stalls and dodgy pet shops.