Gloucestershire has been named as one of the most dangerous places for dogs in England.

A new report suggests the county has the third highest rate of dog theft, behind only Northamptonshire and Somerset.

Analysis by K9 Patrol revealed Gloucestershire residents searched for terms such as “report dog theft”, “dog stolen” and “report a stolen dog” more frequently than most over the last 12 months.

There has been a rise in both dog ownership and dognapping since the start of the pandemic.

In a statement issued earlier this year Gloucestershire Police said: "The demand for new puppies has been such that purchase prices have risen steeply and at the same time thefts of dogs and puppies has also increased."

Pet abduction is set to be made a specific criminal offence under Government plans to crackdown on dognappers.

Currently it is considered as a loss of property to owners under the Theft Act 1968 but new offence would recognise animal companions as sentient beings.

A report produced by the Government’s pet theft taskforce suggested around 2,000 dog theft crimes were reported to police in 2020.

Figures obtained through a freedom of information request reveal Gloucestershire Constabulary recorded 20 dog thefts in the year ending March 31, up from 16 the previous year.

The data only reflected thefts reported to the police and there is no standardised way record the number of dog thefts until it is made a specific criminal offence.

Citing information from Dogs Trust, the Government report indicated the price for five of the UK’s most sought-after breeds grew “significantly” during the first lockdown with the price of some rising by almost 90 per cent.