Woman's home burglarized, pet stolen

AUSTIN (KXAN) - April Castro came home one day to find her home had been burglarized. Two televisions had been stolen, her jewelry was gone and most devastating of all, her five-year-old Maltese, Frankie, had disappeared. At first, Castro thought the dog had run out of the house in fear, but then she discovered the sweater he had been wearing bundled up on the floor. According to Pets Alive! Spokeswoman, Laura Stromberg, pet thefts are on the rise.

"The American Kennel Club said dognapping cases spiked in 2008," Stromberg wrote in her press release on pet theft. "The AKC tracked 65 thefts in 2008 from news and customer reports."

Some tips to keep your dog safe:

• Get it micro chipped so that if it is brought into a vet or resold, the owner can be alerted
• Don't leave your dog unattended in your yard
• Keep the purchase price to yourself

As for Castro, she is now putting up at $650 reward to find Frankie. The money has been raised through donations by friends and family. If you have any information on Frankie, contact KXAN Austin News at (512) 703-5300.