Kirilly Cull pet detective says Gold Coast pets at risk of being stolen in unseen crime wave

Pets are vanishing from backyards in an unseen crime wave, according to a Gold Coast pet detective. And some pets are more likely to be stolen than others.

PETS are vanishing from backyards in an unseen crime wave, according to a Gold Coast pet detective.

Kirilly Cull, the woman behind the Gold Coast’s largest pet lost and found group, said she believed syndicates were behind some of hundreds of stolen animal cases across the city.

The leading pet theft investigator and her team at Missing & Stolen Pets In Qld have dedicated every spare moment of the past five years to helping families in crisis, pursuing at least a hundred cases in city during the past year.

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Kirilly Cull is one of the Gold Coast's lead pet investigators. She is talking about the number of Gold Coast pets that go missing every year. Pic Tim Marsden

“Statistically on the Gold Coast there are a lot of dogs and cats that go missing that are never seen again,” Ms Cull said.

“We know of several cases where dogs have gone missing from the Gold Coast and have either turned up 100km away from their homes or in another state just days later, or are gone forever.

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“French Bulldogs, Cavoodles and Staffy’s in particular are a target on the Gold Coast, and there is nothing we can do about it.”

Alan Williams was ambushed in the middle of a street at Ormeau by three men who got out of a car and tried to steal his french bulldog, Chilli, late last year. Picture: Jerad Williams

According to Ms Cull the prices set on designer breeds made them a valuable target.

“Because these pets are sold for such a huge price they are the ones that are taken first,” she said.

“We are finding there is evidence to support that some of the abductions are prearranged, with the pets turning up in another state with falsified pedigree papers.

“The growing market for these stolen dogs is often unsuspecting new owners or backyard and puppy farm breeders or to fund dog-fighting rings — and while they continue to be of high value to thieves, the trend will sadly continue.

“We have seen some shocking cases. It is easier for people to steal a dog and onsell it for drugs than it is to break into a house and steal something.”

Kirilly Cull, founder of Missing & Stolen Dogs in Queensland, is one of the Gold Coast's leading pet investigators. Picture: Jerad Williams

From dogs slain by spiteful ex-partners to designer dogs or cats that disappear without a trace, Ms Cull has helped families put together a search plan and collect evidence to put forward to police.

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“Missing pets who have escaped their properties have been found and kept by persons which is illegal and deemed property theft because you are required to handover a found pet to within 24 hours.”

Unfortunately the team of Missing & Stolen Pets In Qld say they are finding it extremely frustrating, and need to see changes in how animals are seen in the eyes of the law.

Under Queensland law pets are deemed an item of property so animal disappearances are not recorded separately to stolen goods.

“We want to see animals listed as Sentient Beings not property so the sentences are harsher for these crimes and maximum penalties are applied,” Ms Cull said.

Missing & Stolen Pets In Qld have written to the Queensland Premier on the matter.

The Queensland Police Service (QPS) said all reports of missing pets were treated seriously but disputed there was any known trend in relation to any organised thefts of pets on the Gold Coast.