DOGS in Dyfed-Powys are among the most likely to be stolen in the UK, according to new figures from a pet charity.

Thefts of dogs in the Dyfed-Powys Police force area soared by 169 per cent last year to rank the constabulary as the second worst in the country behind Lincolnshire.

The Mid Wales force also ranked as the third worst-hit for dog thefts per capita after Lincolnshire and West Yorkshire out of 38 police forces canvassed in England and Wales.

Despite the dire figures for Dyfed-Powys – which saw the number of dogs stolen in the police force area rise from 23 in 2016 to 70 in 2017 – pet charity Pet Theft Awareness says it may be a sign officers here are taking the problem seriously.

However the pet charity, which is leading a campaign for a change in the law to recognise dog theft as a specific crime, said the constabulary faces an uphill battle following a spate of large-scale puppy thefts from rural breeders in recent months.

Burglaries, like one in Carmarthenshire which saw 15 West Highland terrier and King Charles spaniel pups taken in a single raid last October, can net dog thieves thousands of pounds.

The lucrative trend of raiding farms and breeders for pedigree pups has seen "handbag dogs" such as Chihuahuas and pugs being among the most sought after by thieves, with working dogs also considered prized targets.

Topping the thieves’ most wanted list in Dyfed-Powys are Jack Russells. Across the UK the most commonly stolen pedigree breed across the UK was the Staffordshire bull terrier.

In South Wales, which between 2015 and 2017 had the UK’s biggest drop in stolen dogs of 75 per cent, the most fancied dogs are French Bulldogs.

The UK as a whole saw a 25 per cent rise in dog thefts over the three years from 2015 to 2017.

The new figures, highlighted by Pet Theft Awareness, were obtained by pet insurer The Insurance Emporium under the Freedom of Information Act.

Across the UK – excluding Scotland which was unable to provide data – 2,017 canines were stolen last year. London, Manchester and West Yorkshire had the most dogs taken altogether.

Francis Martin, The Insurance Emporium’s chief executive officer, said: “Dog theft is a devastating crime and when it happens all you want to do is get your pet back as soon as possible.

“We encourage our customers to follow police advice and take simple steps to keep their pets safe. If the worst should happen, report it to both the police and your insurer as many policies nowadays will cover the costs involved with trying to find your pet.

“Keeping your garden secure, not leaving your dog unattended in public and making sure it’s microchipped and the microchip details kept up-to-date, can all help reduce the risk.”

Campaigner and co-founder of Pet Theft Awareness Richard Jordan said: “We actually want to pay tribute to the police for starting to take this type of crime more seriously.

“Some of the regions with the highest figures are actually the ones we know are taking steps to tackle it, which include more effective recording of data.

“But unfortunately the problem is even bigger than this report shows as we estimate only one in three victims ever report their dog as stolen to the police.

“We’re campaigning for a change in the law to have pet theft recognised as a specific crime because as things are it’s classed no differently to having your bicycle stolen.”

Police warn that microchipping is now a legal requirement, and advise owners not to leave dogs unattended in public areas.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokeswoman said: “Dyfed-Powys Police has new crime recording practices which has meant we are better at more accurately reflecting the crime reported to us within our crime statistics, providing a better service to our communities.”

To sign the Pet Theft Awareness petition for a change in the law visit pettheft.org.uk and for more information on The Insurance Emporium go to theinsuranceemporium.co.uk.