20th Annual Pet Theft Awareness Day

Did you know that in 19th century London, dog kidnapping was a well established business? Elizabeth Barrett Browning's beloved spaniel, Flush was stolen three times by a gang called "The Fancy". Each time the thieves demanded more ransom and the final time, Elizabeth herself, ventured into the underbelly of the city to rescue her dog. Learn more about Elizabeth's life with Flush, in the book "Shaggy Muses" by Maureen Adams

I read about the Pet Theft Awareness Day in the Tampa Tribune this week. It's sponsored by an animal rights organization called Last Chance For Animals. According to them about 2 million animals are stolen each year. The animals may be sold to research facilities, dog fighting rings or puppy mills. You can register to receive alerts on lost pets at http://www.lostandpound.com/. Other useful sites are http://www.findfido.com/ and www.h4ha.org/lost-and-found-pets/index.php (Hugs For Homeless Animals). To learn more about the stolen pets campaign, go to http://www.stolenpets.com/.