Wiltshire woman's heartbreaking loss as new offence to tackle dog theft moves closer
Dog abduction set to be made specific offence
Last updated 18th Nov 2021
The Government has announced plans to bring forward a new criminal offence for people who steal much loved pets.
The dog abduction offence is being added to the Kept Animals Bill.
People who abduct dogs will face up to five years in prison, reflecting the emotional distress caused to both the owner and the dog
Prior to this new offence, pet theft was treated as a loss of property to the owner.
The move follows the recommendation of the Pet Theft Taskforce which found more than 2,000 incidents of pet theft were reported to the police last year.
Its report found that seven in 10 pet thefts recorded by police involved dogs.
Welcoming the introduction of the new offence, Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Christine Middlemiss said:
“The recognition of the distress caused to animals by pet theft is an important step forward, treating them as sentient beings rather than merely property.
“The new offence should build greater awareness of the significant impacts of dog theft on people and animals, and reassure pet owners that these crimes are being taken seriously.”
The RSPCA say they hope the move will act as a "real deterrent" to those who carry out the crime.
The charity also welcomed provision in the Bill to extend it to other pets in the future, should evidence support this.
Heartbreak for Wiltshire owner
One Wiltshire woman know only too well the pain of having your beloved pet stolen.
Victoria Brown's dog Beetle disappeared on August 31st 2020 from Alvediston in the Chalke Valley.
Her collar was later found on a road nearby and the family believe she was taken by "an opportunist thief driving by."
Like many others who have dogs that go missing the family spent weeks searching and launched a social media campaign but 15 months on there is still no sign of the Cavapoo.
Victoria says they still miss her every day :
"We miss her as much now as much as when she was taken. She was a huge, huge part of our family and has left a huge whole. We still think of her every day and still keep hoping we will get a call saying she's been found and will be returned to us."
Tips to keep your dog safe
The police advises that dog owners should avoid leaving their pet unattended while out in public, vary their routines when walking their dogs and take basic security steps at home such as checking locks on doors and garden gates.
Earlier this year Wiltshire Police launched a scheme to send pet owners information about dog thefts and suspicious activity in their neighbourhood.
You can sign up to Dog Watch here.