Great news - legislation to make pet abduction a criminal offence received Royal Assent today
Under the Pet Abduction Act 2024 – which is now law anyone found guilty of stealing a pet in England or Northern Ireland will face up to five years in prison, a fine, or both.
The new law recognises that cats and dogs are not inanimate objects but sentient beings capable of experiencing distress and other emotional trauma when they are stolen from their owners or keepers.
Evidence from the Pet Theft Taskforce, launched by our government, suggests around 2,000 dog and over 400 cat theft crimes were reported to police in 2020, causing considerable distress for owners and their pets alike. With an estimated 28% of UK adults owning a dog and 24% owning a cat, pet theft is a major concern to the public.
Support for the Act builds upon wider action to protect pets from theft, including making the microchipping of cats compulsory from 10 June 2024. This makes it easier for lost, stray or stolen pets to be reunited with their owners and returned home safely.
Many constituents have been in touch about this issue, often providing heart breaking stories of their own pet being stolen, which has been part of the reason for my campaigning on this subject. I am thrilled that the Bill has passed and that those people who take it upon themselves to steal a family pet can now receive an appropriate punishment.
