Ferret thefts on the rise

Laura Nineham

January 13, 2014

A surprising number of ferrets are being stolen in the south of England, with owners turning to expensive high-tech security measures in a bid to prevent raids.

James Bradley had 27 ferrets stolen from his Wiltshire home last year. After the thefts, the pest-controller wrote online: “After all my mates, such as Phil Lloyd, Old Frank etc had their ferrets nicked, they finally raided me tonight.” He invested over £4,000 on security cameras and a guard dog to protect his ferrets.

“I know a lot of disillusioned people who have had their ferrets stolen,” he said.

Should I get my ferrets chipped and tattooed?

Ferret theft is such a concern that the Wessex Ferret Club sent members a warning to secure enclosures and avoid discussing ferret ownership in public. “To be completely blunt, if someone is hell-bent on stealing your ferrets then there is a strong possibility they will succeed,” it read.

But no one knows why people are stealing ferrets, which are cheap and easy to buy.

Ken Jenkins told the Wall Street Journal that some people think thieves sell ferrets for drug research. Some think they go to the illicit pet trade.

How do you protect your ferrets? Comment below to share your tips