First calls, in this order
Report the theft to the police as soon as you believe it is theft rather than escape, and keep the crime reference number safe; insurers, chip companies and other agencies will ask for it. Next, phone the microchip company and have his status recorded as stolen, not merely missing, because that flag changes what happens when he is scanned at a vet, shelter or by a warden. Then call your own vet and the shelters and rescue centres in the area so their staff know to watch their intake. If he vanished from a specific place, tell that venue too, since staff may have seen vehicles or people you did not.
Assemble proof of ownership before you need it
Stolen dogs surface in disputes, so gather the records that prove he is yours into one folder now: the microchip number and registration, vet records linking you to him, purchase or adoption paperwork, insurance details if you have them, and clear recent photographs showing his markings. Distinctive features matter — scars, unusual markings, a missing tooth — so write them down while you remember exactly. Having this assembled means a police officer, vet or shelter who encounters a candidate dog can verify ownership in minutes instead of days, which can decide whether he comes home.
Publicity: wide, specific and repeated
Post his photo, description, the theft location and when it happened to local community groups, lost and found dog pages and neighbourhood networks, and ask friends to share rather than simply react. Put posters in the area he was taken from and around vet practices, groomers, boarding kennels and pet shops further out, because stolen dogs are often moved. Keep the message factual and include the crime reference, which signals this is a police matter and discourages casual buyers. Refresh the posts over the following days rather than letting one appeal sink, and keep one thread updated so sightings and leads collect in one place you can actually monitor.
Watch the market and handle approaches carefully
Check online selling, rehoming and social media marketplace listings daily, searching his breed and description in neighbouring regions as well as your own, and screenshot anything suspicious rather than challenging the seller yourself. Pass leads to the police instead of arranging your own confrontation or purchase. Be wary of callers claiming to have him who demand money or refuse any verification; genuine finders can describe him, share a photo or meet through a vet or police station. Keep a log of every call, message and possible sighting with times, because fragments that seem useless alone can form a pattern.
Do not let the search go cold
Theft searches run long, so pace the work: renew database flags, re-share the appeal at intervals, and re-contact shelters periodically rather than assuming they will remember for months. Replace weather-worn posters, and tell every agency the moment he is recovered so his stolen flag is lifted. If the worst drags on, that record folder stays ready for the day a scan somewhere matches him. From the very first hours, KinsLe's Lost Pet Alert System can alert nearby members around the theft location to keep watching for a dog who may be moved through their area.