01/11/2026
🚨 PAWSAFE – IMPORTANT COMMUNITY AWARENESS WARNING 🚨
⚠️EVERY YEAR, PAWSAFE SHARES AWARENESS POSTS ABOUT DOG FIGHTING AND THE DANGERS OUR DOGS AND CATS MAY FACE. THIS YEAR IS NO DIFFERENT!
You may or may not agree with what we share, and that's perfectly fine. But we are NOT here to argue.
We are here to protect animals and hopefully prevent another heartbreaking tragedy.
With concerns being raised about dog fighting and pet theft, we want dog and cat owners, particularly those living in Melbourne's western suburbs and regional Victoria, to take extra precautions especially this time of the year!
THIS POST IS NOT TO SCARE ANYONE. IT IS TO RAISE AWARENESS!
⚠️️SUSPICIOUS MARKINGS ON FENCES & PROPERTIES
Over the years, there have been reports and warnings about suspicious markings appearing on fences and properties, with claims that these may be used to identify homes with dogs or cats
Some people have described individuals watching properties, waiting until owners leave, and then allegedly stealing their animals.
Although these markings are not proven to be linked to organised pet theft, we encourage everyone to remain vigilant.
One person shared a heartbreaking experience with us:
𝑶𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 30 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒈𝒐 𝒊𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒂. 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒏𝒐 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏.
𝑴𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒈 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅. 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒏𝒐𝒘, 𝑰 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒈.
𝑻𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔, 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒊𝒇 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐. 𝑴𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒛𝒚, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅.
Imagine never knowing what happened to your beloved dog or cat.
Whether an animal is stolen, escapes through an unsecured gate or disappears under suspicious circumstances, the heartbreak for families is devastating 💔
🚨 PLEASE SECURE YOUR HOMES!
📍Check your fences, gates, doors and locks regularly.
📍Install security cameras or sensor lighting where possible.
📍Never leave your dogs or cats unattended in unsecured areas.
📍Keep cats safely indoors or in secure outdoor enclosures, particularly overnight.
📍Be aware of unfamiliar vehicles or people behaving suspiciously around properties.
📍If you notice unusual markings, photograph them. Don't automatically assume they indicate criminal activity, but report any associated suspicious behaviour.
📍Ensure your dogs and cats are microchipped and your contact details are current.
📍Never leave dogs tied up outside shops or unattended in public areas.
📍If you believe someone is attempting to steal an animal, contact police. Do not confront them yourself.
🏡 START A COMMUNITY NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
📍Create a neighbourhood chat, communicate with your neighbours and share genuine concerns about suspicious activity.
📍Keep an eye out for elderly neighbours and vulnerable people who may need assistance securing their pets.
📍If you notice something concerning, report it.
❌️A COMMUNITY THAT LOOKS OUT FOR EACH OTHER CAN HELP KEEP OUR DOGS AND CATS SAFE!
⚠️NEVER GIVE YOUR PUPPIES, KITTENS, DOGS OR CATS AWAY FOR FREE WITHOUT PROPER CHECKS!⚠️
PAWSAFE was recently sent the poster attached to this post. It contains a disturbing alleged quote from a dog fighter describing how dogs and cats advertised as free could be collected and used as bait animals.
We cannot verify the origin or authenticity of that quote. However, the risks of animals ending up in the wrong hands are something every owner should take seriously.
WE ARE ASKING EVERY SINGLE MEMBER TO HELP US SPREAD THIS MESSAGE!
If you see someone advertising a puppy, kitten, dog or cat as FREE TO GOOD HOME, PLEASE SHARE THE ATTACHED POSTER IN THEIR COMMENTS!
Don't attack the person giving the animal away. Educate them. Explain the importance of checking potential adopters and encourage them to seek help from a reputable rescue organisation.
Ask them to contact PAWSAFE with their email address, and we will send them a list of rescue organisations that may be able to assist.
We would rather help someone find a safe home for their animal than see that animal placed in danger.
AND FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!
✅️KEEP YOUR DOGS AND CATS SAFE!
✅️SECURE YOUR HOMES!
✅️LOCK YOUR GATES!
✅️CHECK YOUR DOORS AND WINDOWS!
✅️WATCH YOUR SURROUNDINGS!
✅️LOOK OUT FOR YOUR NEIGHBOURS!
YOUR DOG OR CAT MAY BE SAFE AT HOME TODAY, BUT ONE MOMENT OF VULNERABILITY COULD MEAN YOU NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN.
PAWSAFE PET RESCUE (Volunteer Action Group) WILL CONTINUE SHARING DOG FIGHTING, PET THEFT AND ANIMAL SAFETY AWARENESS POSTS EVERY YEAR, WHETHER PEOPLE AGREE WITH US OR NOT.
Because if sharing one warning prevents even one dog or cat from being harmed, then it is worth it. Why?
BECAUSE EVERY PAW MATTERS!! 🐾
