You've gone shopping a thousand times and left your dog in your yard or parked car. This time when you return your pet is gone. You are another victim of a scandalous industry that has grown like a cancer.

These illegal activities fill the insatiable appetite for animals used in biomedical experimentation.

Pet theft has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. It is a crime that is sponsored by our government and paid for with your tax dollars. Stolen pets feed laboratories and medical facilities for biomedical experimentation. It has become a national scandal. Pet peddlers prey on people who can no longer keep their pets. Desperate owners listen to promises of good and loving homes. The promises are not kept. Instead your pet's fate is a laboratory or medical facility where they die painful and lonely deaths.

Every year an estimated 2.5 million of our companion animals are stolen from cars, backyards and by answering "free to good home" ads in newspapers. It encourages pet theft for profit. Neighborhoods robbed of dogs. Cats abducted from the street. The biomedical community's appetite continues to grow larger. The Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior and Transportation, as well as university medical schools, hospitals and the Veterans Administration all participate in pet theft when they buy animals from B dealers. The USDA turns a blind eye and is reluctant to enforce the regulations governing B dealers. Even with repeated violations, dealers are rarely cited. Write to your senator and congressional representative in Washington, D.C. Also write to Secretary Dan Glickman, Department of Agriculture, 14th St. and Independence Ave. SW Washington D.C. 20250. Demand the abolition of the Class B dealers license and an end to pet theft.

On August 9, 1991 nearly four years after being caught by LCA, USDA B dealers Barbara Ruggiero and Frederick Spero and buncher Ralf Jacobsen were convicted in Superior Court of CONSPIRACY and FELONY GRAND THEFT OF DOGS. It was the FIRST CONVICTION of its kind in the United States. In January 1988 after years of surveillance and investigation, LCA uncovered a pet theft ring operated by the three. By answering "free to good home" ads, they had collected over 140 dogs and cats and sold them for biomedical experimentation. Although Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles admitted they were the recipients of 31 dogs, only 6 were alive. Loma Linda University received 18 dogs, none remained and the Veterans Administration Hospital received 29 and 8 were still alive. While the pet-nappers were out on bail awaiting trial, they assumed aliases and set up business in another location. As LCA continued to monitor the trio's activities, LCA set up a sting operation with the LA SPCA that was carried on national news. It led directly to their second arrest. The trio's precedent-setting guilty verdict gives LCA an important victory in our ongoing fight to protect defenseless animals. Judge David M. Schacter sentenced Ruggiero to six years and two months in state prison. Spero and Jacobsen were given five and three years respectively. Judge Schacter called Ruggiero the personification of evil and conniving and manipulative. He said the trio was greedy, insensitive, and deceitful.

Do keep your pet indoors, especially when you are not at home. Do properly identify your pet. Use the leg tattoo as ears can be cut off. Do keep a collar on your pet. Do be aware of strangers in the neighborhood. Report anything suspicious to the police. Do have advertisements in the newspapers for adoptions read No Bunchers. Do padlock your gate. Do keep your dog on a leash. Do make neighbors and friends aware of the problem of pet theft. Do Not let your pet roam free in your neighborhood. Do Not leave your pet unattended at any time. Do Not tie your pet outside a store to wait for you. Do Not use "free To good home ads" to place your pet in a new home. Do Not place your pet in a new home without checking the new owner's references. Do Not place your pet in a new home without visiting the premises. Do Not place your pet in a new home without having the new owners sign a pet adoption contract. Do Not let your pet be visible from the street.

Last Chance For Animals, a non-profit organization continues to successfully stop pet theft for profit.

To protect your beloved pet from being stolen by an animal abuser or others with harmful intentions, PAWS recommends the following:

A combination of a microchip for permanent identification, a properly fitting collar and current identification tag, and keeping your companion properly confined are the best insurance policies you can provide to keep your animal friend safe.

Scams to Watch Out For: People with ulterior motives have also been known to pose as adopters, pet finders and even somebody who has lost an animal. They misrepresent themselves as responsible adopters or owners, pretending they want to adopt an animal or reclaim a stray animal that isn't truly theirs. In reality, these people sometimes subject the animals they acquire to abuse or turn around and sell the animals to medical laboratories or animal dealers to make a profit.

You always want to assume the best about people and their intentions, but when it comes to animals who are vulnerable and cannot speak out to protect themselves, it is very important to take precautions. Whether you are looking for a lost pet, trying to find the rightful owner for a stray animal you found, or seeking a new adopter for an animal in your care--it is always in the animal's best interest if you are thoughtful and cautious about the steps you take.

How to Best Protect Your Animals from Scams: Animals depend on us to make good decisions on their behalf. Here are some tips to help protect animals from scams:

• NEVER leave your animal alone unsupervised where he can be seen or taken.
• Spay or neuter your animal. Medical laboratories often will not accept animals that have been altered. Altering also prevents unwanted pregnancies, reduces behavior and health problems, and helps combat the companion animal overpopulation problem. PAWS can provide you with a list of low-cost clinics in the greater Puget Sound area.
• Make sure your animal has proper identification on at all times. Microchips and tattoos are highly recommended, because they are a permanent form of identification. Medical research labs sometimes will not accept animals with tattoos or microchips!
• Don't adopt an animal out unless you are willing to thoroughly screen adoption applicants.
• Never give animals away for free. Even if you charge a minimal adoption fee of $25, you'll be more likely to deter those who are trying to scam you or harm the animal.
• When returning a stray animal to his rightful owner, request proof of ownership, including photos of the animal, vet records, and licensing papers.
• If somebody claims they have found your "lost animal", ask specific questions to ensure the animal is yours--particularly if you are offering a reward.
• Posting that your animal needs medical attention on the "lost animal" flyer can solicit a more diligent response from neighbors who may encounter your animal. It can also deter somebody who may be inclined to keep your animal.
• Keep a close eye on what is happening in your community. If you suspect an animal scam is taking place, inform your neighbors immediately.

For more information on lost or stolen pets, contact:

This information was generously supplied by Petshelter Network, www.petshelter.org, (206) 297-9055