That must have been awful, Terry!
My own dog is chipped but a tattoo is the best way to deter theft. Sadly there aren't many qualified dog tattooists in the UK and it's not an option taken up by many people. There are no tattooists within 50 miles of here, for instance, though there is one near my mother's, so I have decided to go there when I visit next. For £25 it's worth it. Certain breeds, I feel, would benefit more from being tattooed - the most dogs stolen here in the UK are Staffordshire BTs and their crosses; greyhounds, whippets lurchers etc (often taken by travellers for coursing) and GSDs. But all breeds are at risk and I live in a high risk area. Quite often dogs are stolen as bait for fighting. Sometimes taken for breeding, or to be sold on, but when found to be neutered/chipped are then dumped or killed. A tattoo in the ear helps to prevent this at point of theft.

It is such a shame I don't drive or becoming a dog tattooist could be a valuable job option in this area.

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