Clues and claws: meet the ace pet detectives | Life and style

Anne-Marie, Sydney, Australia. Specialities: cats, dogs, rabbits, ferrets, goats, birds, pigs and horses

I’ve always preferred animals to people. I’ve never met an animal I didn’t like, whereas there are plenty of humans I could do without. As a young girl growing up in rural Queensland, I had my own Lassie dog – Sam – stolen from me, when I was six. My siblings were older, and Sam was my best friend. He went missing before microchips and registrations – I’m almost certain we found the family who took him, but that was never proved. It always stayed with me; I never got closure. I felt like I’d failed him, which is why I dedicate my life to tracking down other pets.

During Covid in Australia we saw a massive increase in pet thefts. Obviously with increased demand comes the problem of supply. People who’d lost work saw an opportunity

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