Tom Watkins retired from West Midlands police force in 1996. After he heard the story of a lost dog on the radio, he took action, saved the dog and set up Animal Search UK. Now 20 years on and after helping many pets and their owners, Animal Search UK is now firmly established as the Europe's foremost search service for missing pets. Today, he tells us everything we might not know about this type of job upon the release of his new book The Real Pet Detective.
Tom Watkins
Fact 1: The first thing people don’t know about Pet Detectives is that they really do exist! Tom Watkins - ex West Midlands Police bobby on the beat - is a real-life Ace Ventura. He set up the UK’s largest Pet detective agency ( Animal Search UK.co.uk) from his kitchen table in 1999 and now has offices around Britain. Since then he has taken reports of almost 200k- yes 200,000 lost and found pets across the nation on his FREE online database.
Fact 2: A pet detective is no lone wolf (ahem). Tom Watkins has uniformed teams that operate around the British Isles tracking down lost pets. The teams, wearing Hi-Viz jackets and armed with state of the art heat seeking cameras and (less state-of-the-art) cat baskets, are deployed about twice a week. Even on weekends and bank holidays.
Fact 3: Pet detective work is just like a dating website…
First point of call for owners who are faced with a lost pet should be Tom’s FREE online database which allows owners and ‘finders’ of missing pets to upload photos and location details. Then the system automatically searches for matches and sends an email with the results rather like a dating site would do for people.
Fact 4. Pet Detectives pack more in their trousers than Police officers and even Firemen. Yes, whilst you might find an axe/chopper and a torch in a fireman’s slacks, handcuffs and a baton in a policeman’s trousers- its official, with torch, dog lead, notepad and pen, thermal imaging camera and a pack of whiskers cat treats you get more for your money when you hire one of these pet search specialists.
Fact 5. Pet detectives love pets – of course! Tom’s pet sleuths team come from a variety of backgrounds but most are ex-Detectives like Tom. One thing the team has in common is that they almost all own a pet. Amongst them the team has 4 dogs, 15 rabbits, 8 cats and several guinea pigs completing the line-up.
Fact 6: Summer is a dangerous time. When people leave sheds open then shut them later cats often get trapped inside, so summer is the busiest period for pet detectives. Make sure to watch your shed door!
Fact 7. The longest distance a cat has travelled was Charlie the cat who travelled 180 miles under the bonnet of a car then jumped out in view of the driver who was checking his windscreen fluid. Thanks to a poster campaign the wayward Charlie was found!
Fact 8. So where on earth are the favourite places to look for a missing pet? Cats are predominately the target of the investigations- they’ve been found locked in neighbours cars on driveways, in the back of parcel delivery vans a few miles from home, next door houses where they’ve slipped through a cat flap set to only open inwards (normally to capture the owner’s cat at night but bad if the house owners on holiday). Top of scaffolding and sadly sometimes in garden swimming pools. Sheds and outbuildings are prime targets on a search along with garages. Trapped under floorboards in houses undergoing construction and the old chestnut- Stuck up trees!!
Fact 9. The top 5 do’s and don’ts of protecting your pet
DO: Take good photos from all angles- ( You can upload them to www.animalsearchuk.co.uk to pre-register your pet free of charge- JUST IN CASE
Don’t : forget to microchip your pet, not only is it the law for dog to be chipped it’s a good idea to chip your cat too. Most vets will do this easily and cheaply. If means if the council find your pet deceased on a street or a dog warden apprehends your dog then they can be home safely before you know it.
Do: visit neighbours if your cat fails to come home and put a poster in your local shop. Although Tiddles may not be at the shop- everyone from the community will be as we all need bread and milk. A good focal point for the search publicity.
Don’t: forget to update your address on the pets microchip if you move house or change your phone number. You can do this by visiting Petlog.org.uk the largest chip database in the UK
DO- always keep and eye on your dog. They are stolen more nowadays than ever so the rule of thumb should be that when you are about ands about, never level them on view unattended somewhere that you wouldn’t leave a wallet full of cash. To an opportunist your pet is that wallet. i.e outside shops, in cars, tied to lampposts outside a restaurant
Fact 10: Believe it or not Tom- Britain’s top Pet Detective is allergic to cats! Although with his exceptional professionalism and dedication his work isn’t to be sniffed at or should that be sneezed at?.
