CRIMINALS posing as dog wardens and animal welfare officers are targeting homes across the country to confiscate dogs for export, sale and breeding.

In what has been described as a nationwide phenomenon, organised gangs are believed to be targeting those deemed vulnerable and willing to believe that their animals are being confiscated until such time as they produce a licence.

The impostors have been described as professional in appearance and manner and have produced counterfeit IDs at the homes of those targeted.

Both gardaí and official dog wardens have been notified and members of the public have been urged not to hand over animals for any reason.

"We have had people on the phone crying because the dogs are gone and their children can't sleep at night without them," said Marie Quirke of Limerick Animal Welfare (LAW) which has highlighted the problem.

"It's countrywide; it's not just Limerick and a lot of dogs are being stolen around the country, being used to raise money," she said. "They are being stolen to breed, sell, export and obviously to blood for fighting dogs.

"The latest issue that we have had is guys going around in vans to the houses of vulnerable people and telling them they are from the city pound and asking them if they have a licence. Of course a lot of people don't. So then they take their dogs and the people go out and get a licence but the thieves are never seen again."

Quirke pointed out that animal welfare officers never call to homes seeking licences because they do not have the authority.

The market for stolen animals is thriving for several reasons, in particular the availability of both cross-breed and pure-bred puppies at affordable prices. Cross-breeds will generally fetch up to €150 while pure-breds sell for as much as €500.

Animal welfare campaigners have also insisted that the ease with which animals can be taken out of the country makes dog theft an attractive option.

"They are also being exported from the country; we are one of the largest exporters in Europe," said Quirke. "They have laws in other countries but our own laws are so outdated. Anyone can take dogs across to England and no questions are asked. There was one case in Co Limerick in a place called Martinstown. Two guys were seen jumping into a garden and taking two dogs out. They were approached by neighbours and said they were from animal welfare but the neighbours weren't impressed. They just dropped the dogs and ran."