Kent has the second highest number of dog thefts in the UK, according to new research.

Direct Line Pet Insurance has found that 2,160 dogs were reported as stolen across the UK last year – but only one in four are ever found.

London remains the dog theft capital of the UK and the Met Police – which covers Bromley and Bexley – had the most at 396 stolen dogs.

Of this high number, just 32 were found and returned to their owners.

This was followed by Kent Police which had the second highest number of stolen dogs in the country at 177 last year.

Wayne May, who is a police liaison coordinator for DogLost UK and the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance, said a lot of dogs are being stolen "purely for monetary gain".

He said: "People are stealing dogs from your garden, your parks and your vehicles and what they're hoping is that you post a reward and they're capitalising on your grief.

"Sadly members of the public are parting with their money to get their beloved pets back.

"Some dogs are stolen for breeding, and the puppies are then sold for considerable amount of money which is quite lucrative for the criminals because we haven't yet got an enforceable law where they're expecting to get a prison sentence if they get caught, all they're going to do is get a slap on the wrist."

The research found that the most stolen breed was found to be American bulldogs, with theft numbers being four times as high as in 2021.

There was also high numbers of stolen Staffordshire bull terriers and French bulldogs.

Wayne, who lives in Dartford, said that having your dog stolen is seen in law as like having your push bike stolen.

He said: "We need parliament to enforce these laws and the sentencing council to pass this down to the police forces so they can act on the intelligence that people like myself and other organisations supply to them.

"What I'd like to say to the sentencing council really is spend a day with me or put yourself in my shoes.

"Every single day I deal with people that are victims of pet theft in general, and they really need to see what's happening they need to see the impact and the distress that it causes and the heartache.

"Children not going to school for a week because they miss their beloved pet, I've even had cases where dog owners have contemplated or tried to commit suicide

"It's got to be worth reviewing the laws to have this stopped – the sentences are not stiff enough and they need to be reviewed and in my view, urgently."

He said that dog thefts can happen in a number of ways – from cars, home burglaries or even when they're out on a walk.

He explained: "It's not unknown to happen – if their recall isn't good and the dog wanders a bit too far, people can snatch the dog and just run off.

"Make sure you've got adequate pet insurance in line, make sure your pet has a microchip which is a legal requirement in the UK for dogs.

"Make sure your phone numbers are up to date so if we find them we can reunite them quicker.

"Obviously I'm quite aware of the economy at the moment but I would advise all people that have home security and CCTV to upgrade to the best ability and make sure everything recorded around their properties is of high quality.

"It will help us get your dog back, it helps police and people like me to identify the thief. More often than not we will know who these people are but without clear images we can't."

He also encourages people to install security lighting.

He said: "Don't go out your house and turn left every single morning at the same time, change direction, go to different venues, it's very very easy to become a creature of habit and the criminals will capitalise on this."