I am so sick of the sad state of our economy and the problems that it’s causing.  It’s bad enough that jobs are scarce and companies that do hire are trying to squeeze the life out of us by offering the lowest of salaries! Credit card companies have increased interest rates, increased minimum payments and fees to a point where people can’t pay anymore. These companies deserve NOT to be paid! We all know about the housing market – to tell you the truth, this is vent day for me because I am sick of it all! To make matters worse there are so many scams that you don’t know who to trust anymore. Every time you pick up the telephone someone is trying to offer you the life of your dreams in Florida, or sell you something like hot waitresses, men’s underwear, trips to Europe, an online business you’ve heard them all! I don’t even answerthe phone anymore. It’s sad and to make matters worse, our furry friends are suffering as well.

Here’s one to add to the list: according to USA Today, the number of dogs that have been snatched from unsuspecting owners has spiked. During the first seven months of 2011, per the American Kennel Club (AKC), there were reports of 224 stolen dogs, compared with 150 during the same time period last year. That’s a rise of 49%. Overall last year, there were 255 dogs reported stolen, up from 162 in 2009 and 71 in 2008.

Why the rise in dognappings?  Stolen dogs are often re-sold over the internet. The greedy dognapper may also want to see if the owner will post a reward for the safe return of the dog.  Then he will collect the cash while making up a phony story as to where the dog was located. Yorkies, Pomeranians and other smaller breeds are the most likely dogs to be stolen. Why them? They’re especially popular nowadays among dog lovers, and because of their tiny size, they’re easier to snatch and hide. There have been many reports of car break ins and the dogs taken. Please, don’t leave your dog alone in the car.

Keep a close eye on your dog, this world is filled with lots of evil, greedy people!

Remember, your pets count!