Using the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, the Telegraph & Argus asked West Yorkshire Police how many pets had been reported stolen in Bradford in the past two years.

The results were alarming with animals ranging from XL Bully dogs and reptiles to fish and poultry included in the 111 recorded between January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024.

Of these, only 24 pets were recovered by police in the 24-month period.

67 of the stolen pets were dogs and 16 of these were recovered.

2023 figures

A Rottweiler (Bradford West), birds (Bradford East), a Lakeland terrier (Bradford East), a cat (Bradford South), a Cavalier King Charles spaniel (Bradford East), two Labradors and french bull terriers (Keighley), and a Chihuahua (Bradford East) were all recovered in 2023.

Pets not recovered included five lots of fish (Shipley, Bradford West, and Bradford South), two sheep (Shipley and Keighley), Cattle (Bradford South), and two poultry pets in Bradford South.

When it came to dogs, the following were also not recovered; Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Bulldogs, Pugs, Border Collies, a German Shepherd (Bradford East), an XL Bully (Bradford East), a husky (Bradford South), a Rottweiler (Bradford East), a Bull Mastif (Shipley), a German Shepherd (Shipley), a Jackapoo (Bradford South), and an Akita (Bradford West).

2024 figures

Of the 12 stolen animals recovered in 2024, six were dogs. These included an Alaskan Husky (Bradford East), a French bulldog (Shipley), a husky (Shipley), and a German Shepherd (Bradford South).

A sheep (Keighley), cats, and equine (Bradford South).

Chihuahuas, bulldogs, Jack Russell Terriers, German Shepherds, an XL Bully, a Labrador Retriever, (Bradford East), a Cockerpoo (Shipley), a pug (Bradford East), a Border Collie (Keighley), Shih Tzu (Bradford East), and Cocker spaniel (Bradford South) were some of the stolen dogs not recovered.

A sheep (Shipley), fish (Bradford West), poultry (Keighley), and reptiles (Bradford East) were among the other animals not recovered.

How to report a stolen pet

West Yorkshire Police encourages people to only report a dog theft once they have checked that their pet hasn’t escaped or run away, or been taken out for a walk by someone they know.

If you think your dog has been stolen, you can report it by using police’s Live Chat service, theft reporting form or call 101. 

Full list of stolen Bradford pets

2023 – Recovered

• Other dog – Bradford South
• Rottweiler – Bradford West
• Birds – Bradford East
• Other dog – Bradford East
• Lakeland terrier – Bradford East
• Other dog – Shipley
• Cavalier King Charles spaniel – Bradford East
• Other dog – Bradford East
• Cat – Bradford South
• Chihuahua – Bradford East
• Labrador and a French bull terrier – Keighley
• Labrador and a French bull terrier – Keighley

2023 – Not Recovered

• Bulldog – Bradford West
• Bulldog – Shipley
• Pug – Bradford South
• Other dog – Bradford South
• Bulldog – Bradford West
• Cat – Bradford East
• American Bulldog – Shipley
• Boston terriers x 2 – Bradford South
• Collie – Bradford West
• German Shepherd – Bradford East
• Fish – Shipley
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier – Keighley
• Other dog – Bradford East
• Cattle – Bradford South
• Sheep – Keighley
• French bulldog – Shipley
• French bulldog – Bradford East
• Bulldog – Bradford South
• Poultry – Bradford South
• Poultry – Bradford South
• Cat – Bradford South
• Border Collie – Bradford South
• Fish – Bradford West
• XL Bully – Bradford East
• Husky – Bradford South
• Rottweiler – Bradford East
• Other dog – Bradford West
• Fish – Bradford West
• American Bulldog – Shipley
• Cat – Keighley
• Staffordshire bull terrier cross – Bradford South
• Bull Mastif – Shipley
• German Shepherd – Shipley
• Cat – Bradford East
• Jackapoo – Bradford South
• Fish – Area not recorded
• Akita – Bradford West
• Sheep – Shipley
• Cat – Bradford South
• Cat – Keighley
• Cat – Bradford South
• Border Collie – Bradford East
• Fish – Bradford South
• Cane Corso – Bradford East

2024 – Recovered

• Cat – Bradford West
• Other dog – Bradford East
• Alaskan Husky – Bradford East
• Sheep – Keighley
• Other dog – Bradford East
• Cat – Bradford West
• French Bulldog – Shipley
• Cat – Bradford West
• Husky – Shipley
• Cat – Bradford West
• Equine – Bradford South
• German Shepherd – Bradford South

2024 – Not Recovered

• Fish – Bradford West
• Poultry – Keighley
• Reptiles – Bradford East
• German Shepherd – Bradford East
• Cocker spaniel – Bradford South
• Border collie – Keighley
• Pug – Bradford East
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier – Shipley
• Chihuahua – Bradford East
• Shih Tzu – Bradford East
• Chihuahua – Bradford West NPT
• Chihuahua – Bradford West NPT
• Cat – Keighley
• Other dog – Shipley
• Cockerpoo – Shipley
• Cat – Bradford South
• Cat – Bradford East
• Labrador Retriever – Bradford East
• Other animal – Bradford East
• XL Bully – Area unknown
• Cat – Shipley
• Cat – Bradford South
• Fish – Bradford West
• Poultry – Keighley
• Chihuahua – Bradford East
• Cane Corso – Bradford West
• Reptiles – Bradford East
• Cat – Bradford South
• Cane Corso – Keighley
• Cat – Bradford East
• English Bulldog – Keighley
• Cat – Bradford West
• Other animal – Keighley
• Sheep – Shipley
• Other animal – Bradford South
• Other animal – Keighley
• Other dog – Keighley
• Jack Russell Terrier – Bradford East
• Bulldog – Shipley
• French Bulldog – Bradford East
• Cat – Bradford East
• Cat – Bradford West
• American Bulldog – Bradford West
• Jack Russell Terrier – Bradford West
• German Shepherd – Bradford South