Designer comes up with anti-theft dog lead

Sarah Gleave, who runs Meg Heath Dog Leads, worked in kennels in Leicestershire and supplied dogs to the police and prison service before moving to the area in 2002, where she set up Lincoln English Springer Spaniel Rescue and Metheringham Heath Kennels.

She explains: “I was at Heckington Show in 2006 and saw a stall selling dog leads. I thought I can do this, but I can also do it better. I soon started making a selection of leads and collars.”

Sarah hand-makes all her products, including an award-winning lead to tether dogs into car boots.

Last March Sarah closed the kennels due to lockdown but suddenly dog lead sales took off. She says: “Sales at MHDL are up 240 per cent pre-Covid, I am happy to say this is my full time work now and the kennels will not (in the short term at least) re-open as I simply do not have the time.”

In January she came up with the theft deterrent range in response to stories of dogs being snatched. She explained: “With the increase in dog theft and the value of dogs at an all-time high, I had to do something to help.”

She said: “I came up with three designs, all with different deterrent/protection levels. It’s early days for the product, but the feedback so far has been positive.

“To come up with a solution that went some way to help dog owners and avoid the distress of losing a furry loved one, was the best I could do.”

The No. 2 ‘Stealth’ lead has a galvanised wire rope core within soft webbing. It is attached to a tricky to undo carabiner and has a grip handle that tightens on your wrist.

For every one of the leads sold she donates £1 to West Country Dobermann Rescue.