RE the disturbing reports recently that five dogs per week are being stolen from outside shops, post offices and doctors’ surgeries. 

It is beyond me how these owners can be so cruel and irresponsible and I think it should be illegal to leave a pet unsupervised. 

If you cannot see your dog, you can neither protect nor control it. 

Our local Morrisons has had two dogs stolen from outside in the last couple of weeks and security staff are monitoring the situation.

As a result of these concerns one of them stood by a lovely collie dog yesterday  as requested by the owner who was 40 minutes in the store. 

When the owner finally emerged with a laden trolley she admitted that her heart was in her mouth whenever she comes out in case her pet was no longer there. 

She claimed she does not do it often. 

Well, once can be once too often. 

My sympathies would never be with the owners in that situation,  only with the poor traumatised pet taken by strangers and ending up who knows where.

Dogs should be exercised in parks or on the seafront or other suitable locations and be left safely at home while owners go about their business shopping, going to banks and post offices,  doctors’ surgeries etc where queues and delays are inevitable. 

They rely on their owners completely so if you really do love your pet do not betray their trust by putting them at risk in this selfish callous way.

Mrs Banks, Worthing