Ulrika Wikner has been “worried sick” about her dog Gus every day since the beloved German shepherd was stolen from her Red Deer County acreage on Dec. 29.
“I think what are they doing to him? Your imagination goes to dark places,” said Wikner, a member of the Alberta Abducted Dogs Welfare Association (AADWA).
With Pet Theft Awareness Day on Wednesday, the group is drawing public attention to this rising crime trend. Members are also pressuring politicians to stiffen Canadian pet abduction laws.
In Canada, the crime is considered theft under $5,000, which amounts to a fine or 30-day jail sentence.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom changed its laws to recognize animals as companions and as sentient beings rather than just “property.” This has resulted in longer jail sentences in that country and more serious police investigations.
For Wikner, losing Gus is more akin to losing a child than having a laptop stolen.
Breaking down with emotion, she said, “He was a wonderful dog. To me, it’s the same as child trafficking — that’s how much it hurts.”
The AADWA was formed by former police officers, victims, and concerned citizens in response to a sharp rise in dog thefts across Alberta. The association is aware of 52 dogs that were stolen around the province since November.
Wikner noted many of these pets are larger, so might be trained as guard dogs or sheep herding dogs, which could make them a valuable commodity for the thieves.
Gus vanished in broad daylight while Wikner was tending to horses in her Alhambra boarding stable near Fort Normandeau. As she lives on 135-acres of land, she said her “extremely friendly” one-year-old dog enjoyed romping around and interacting with her regular clients.
Just 10 minutes after she noticed the disappearance of Gus, along with one of his dog toys, Wikner was told a suspicious white van had been in her parking lot that morning.
Later, a neighbour told her he’d spotted a white cube van of the same description going up her driveway a few days before, then turning around and leaving her property.
Wikner has since filed a police report about her stolen dog, and posted about the theft on Facebook. She’s driven 1,500 km around the region putting up posters, and is offering a $4,000 reward for information that leads to her pet’s safe return.
“My beloved Gus is still missing. I am worried sick about him and my heart is completely shattered,” said Wikner. She added her older dog is also “miserable” without his young companion.
In Stony Plain, Krista Arseneau’s dog, Axal, was last seen Dec. 5. Arseneau tracked Axal’s prints until they abruptly ended and a baited hide was found nearby.
“My best friend was stolen from me; he’s never left my side in 11 years,” said the distraught woman, who has become an advocate for stolen and missing dogs.
Victims of pet theft are urged to report the crime to police, even though there are limited resources for these investigations.
The AADWA is lobbying for more pet rights. “It’s not like this is your bicycle that was stolen — this is a living being that relies on you, and should be taken seriously by all branches of government and police officers,” said Aynsley Foss, whose dog, Dixie, was stolen in the Cochrane area on Nov. 27.
For more information about these and other pet crimes, please visit Alberta Missing Dogs on Facebook.