Pet Theft - New Criminal Offence

Positive News this month:

The Government has announced that pet abduction is to be made a new criminal offence - the Pet Theft Taskforce has delivered its report with key findings and recommendations: 

A new criminal offence for pet abduction is set to be introduced under government plans to crack down on pet theft following a reported rise in pets being stolen during the pandemic. The new law will recognise the welfare of animals and that pets are valued as more than property.

The new offence is one of several recommendations in a report published today by the Government’s Pet Theft Taskforce which was launched in May 2021.

The report found that seven in 10 of the animal thefts recorded by the police involve dogs. Evidence suggests that around 2,000 dog theft crimes were reported to police in 2020, causing considerable distress for owners and their pets alike.

The Recommendations include:

• The creation of a new ‘pet abduction’ offence:

  Pet theft is currently treated as a loss of property to the owner, but we know that does not reflect the true severity of this crime. The new offence will prioritise the welfare of our pets as sentient beings and recognise the emotional distress to the animal in addition to its owner.

• Identifying and tracking cases:

  Reliable data on pet theft is limited and improved recording and data collection about these crimes will build a stronger evidence base about the problem.

• Improving the recording of ownership and transfer data:

  New requirements to register additional details and a single point of access to microchipping databases will support tracking lost and stolen dogs.

• Tackling the fear of crime: Police will work together with partner agencies to raise awareness about police initiatives and prevention measures.

Further details are available on the Government website.