WEST Somerset dog owners are being warned to be extra vigilant after reports that dog thieves are targeting the area - and particularly the Quantocks.

This follows the disappearance of two dogs from the village of West Bagborough in the last few weeks, claims from dog owners that they sense they are being followed on country walks and sightings of a silver-grey pick-up truck near popular dog-walking venues.

The demand for dogs as companions during the Covid pandemic has led to households containing dogs being pin-pointed with chalk marks and gangs monitoring local car parks in which dogs have been left in vehicles, according to Avon and Somerset Police’s rural affairs unit.

A spokesman said: “Take every precaution to safeguard your dog. Vary the times and routes of your walks and be wary of strangers asking questions about your dog. If you go away, use a reputable kennels or dog-sitting service and always check references.”

Sarah Hancock, West Somerset representative of DogLost, a charity which has rescued 80,000 dogs in the past 18 years, added: “It is no longer safe to leave a dog unattended, tied up outside a supermarket, in a vehicle or even in your garden.

“There is a huge national increase in organised dog theft and now it is happening here. We are being contacted by dog owners who have lost their pets and it is almost certain that some have been stolen. We have never had to deal with so many disappearances.

“We need people to be more vigilant than ever, particularly in remote areas like the Quantocks. We have also had reports from Minehead of people being followed from walking their dogs on North Hill back to their homes.

Sarah added: “While prices are high it’s easy pickings for dog thieves and the lengths they go to is quite phenomenal. They remove the identification chips and pedigree dogs, worth maybe £3,000, are being sold for under £1,000.”

The dogs reported missing from West Bagborough are Scott, a spaniel - see story on this page - and Sly, a female lurcher, which disappeared on Monday. “They both apparently vanished into thin air in circumstances I have never encountered before,” Sarah said.

She added that dog walkers in the nearby areas of Crowcombe Hill and Triscombe had reported that they felt they were being watched and followed. Several vehicles, including a silver-grey pick-up and a red VW Polo, have been seen acting suspiciously in popular dog-walking spots.

“Only last Sunday, a lady reported that her labrador beat her back to the car from a walk at Triscombe and she found two men trying to coax the dog into their van. They sped off when they saw her coming.

“There are all the signs that we have professional dog thieves now operating regularly in the area. People should take this very seriously. The most common victims are spaniels, followed by labradors and other working breeds, although, if thieves see an opportunity, they will take any breed.”

Recent reported incidents include a bulldog puppy stolen from Watchet but later recovered in Bristol after it was advertised online, an attempt to snatch a dog on the beach near Porlock and a gun-dog stolen from a parked truck near Bridgetown and never recovered.

“We are doing everything we can to educate dog owners to keep their animals safe in the climate we are now in,” Sarah Hancock said.

“Be wary of strangers who seem to be friendly. If they start asking too many questions about your dog, my advice would be to say the animal has a medical condition. This usually puts them off. Also, be cautious of someone distracting you - they often have an accomplice who will try to snatch your dog while you are preoccupied.

“There has always been dog theft because of the easy money but not in West Somerset at the levels we are seeing now.”