This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament
Petition Extend the new dog abduction theft offence to cover cats and all kept animals
The Government should extend the new abduction theft offence for dogs to cover cats, horses and other 'kept' companion animals, many of whom are now regarded as pets and sentient beings and should no longer to be treated as property under the Theft Act 1968.
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The Government accepts that the theft of a pet is devastating but in incorporating the crime of pet theft into the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill it singles out the abduction of dogs & fails to treat cats and other pets as equals. We believe this decision does not reflect the emotional & welfare issues that affect both humans and all animals. The inclusion of all kept animals would be compatible with the Sentience Bill which is progressing through Parliament
This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months
Government responded
This response was given on 8 February 2022
The draft pet abduction offence applies to dogs with powers to extend to cats and other pets via regulations, and the Government is considering views on this expressed at Commons Committee.
Read the response in full
The theft of a much-loved pet causes emotional trauma and impacts pet owners and families. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic the prices paid for pets have increased significantly and there were concerns that this was driving an increase in theft. To tackle this issue the Government launched a Pet Theft Taskforce in May 2021 to investigate the apparent rise in pet theft since the start of lockdown.
In September 2021, the Taskforce published its findings and recommendations to tackle the issue of pet theft. The Taskforce 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.
The Taskforce’s recommendations included the creation of a new ‘pet abduction’ offence to recognise that pets are not mere items of property and to recognise the potential impact on their welfare when they are taken by strangers. The Taskforce also recommended improving the evidence base on pet theft by improving how cases are identified and tracked; improving the recording of keepership on microchipping databases; and tackling the fear of crime through raising awareness about police initiatives and prevention measures.
Campaigners have been calling on us to recognise that pets are different from inanimate objects, and we are introducing a new offence that focuses on the abduction of dogs in the first instance.
We believe that the new offence better reflects the view that 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.
The offence as currently drafted and debated at the Commons Committee stage of the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill focuses on dogs, with enabling powers. The inclusion of the enabling powers means that the Secretary of State will be able to extend the offence to other species of companion animal in the future by making regulations. Any regulations would be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure. This means that both the House of Commons and the House of Lords would need to approve such an extension.
The Government listened closely to views expressed on this issue during Commons Committee stage, in particular whether cats should also be included with dogs at the outset, and the Government is currently considering this issue carefully.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Related activity
MPs ask Government for an update on plans to introduce a specific offence of pet abduction
The Petitions Committee, the group of MPs who consider parliamentary e-petitions, has written to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to request an update on the Government’s plans to make pet theft a specific criminal offence.
The Government included plans to make pet theft an offence in the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, which was withdrawn in June 2023. The Minister of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that the Government would take forward measures in the Bill separately during the remainder of the Parliament.
However, legislation to make pet theft an offence has not yet been introduced, and was not included in the 2023 King’s Speech, which set out the Government’s legislative programme for the remainder of this Parliament.
The Committee has asked for an update on the Government's plans by Wednesday 6 December. We’ll share the Government's response with you when we receive this.
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Government provides update on plans to make pet theft a specific criminal offence
The Government has responded to the Petitions Committee's request for an update on when the Government intends to introduce legislation to make pet theft a specific criminal offence.
In his reply, Minister for Biosecurity, Animal Health and Welfare Robbie Douglas-Miller MP highlights the introduction of the Pet Abduction Bill on December 6, and says that the Government will set out its formal position on the Bill when it receives its second reading, which is due to take place on Friday 19 January.
The Pet Abduction Bill, which is a Private Member's Bill introduced by Anna Firth MP, would create offences of dog abduction and cat abduction and give ministers power to make similar provisions for the abduction of other animals commonly kept as pets.
- Read the Committee's letter asking for an update on the Government's plans
- Read the Government's response to the Committee
- Find out more about the Pet Abduction Bill
What is a Private Member's Bill?
Private Members' Bills are Bills introduced by MPs who are not government ministers. They can be about any topic, but the main purpose can’t be to create a new tax or increase Government spending. Private Members' Bills must go through the same stages of consideration by Parliament before they can become law.
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MPs debate the Pet Abduction Bill
MPs debated the Pet Abduction Bill on Friday 19 January in the main chamber of the House of Commons. This was a Second Reading debate, where MPs debated the general principles of the Bill. The Government said that it supported the Bill, and MPs agreed that the Bill should progress.
The Bill includes provisions to create specific offences of dog and cat abduction, and would give the Government powers to make similar provisions relating to the abduction of other animals commonly kept as pets.
You can read more about the measures included in the Bill in this House of Commons Library Research Briefing.
What is a Second Reading?
Second Reading is the first opportunity for MPs to debate the main principles of a Bill.
At the end of the debate, the Commons decide whether the Bill should be given its Second Reading, meaning it can proceed to the next stage. If there isn't consensus that a Bill should proceed to its next stage, MPs will vote on this.
Find out more about how Second Reading works.
What happens next?
Having passed Second Reading, MPs will now consider the Bill in detail, and can suggest amendments (proposals for change) to the Bill.
Read more about the bill and keep up to date with its progress.
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Pet abduction bill agreed by MPs
The Pet Abduction Bill was approved by MPs in the House of Commons on Friday 19 April. It will now go to the House of Lords who also have to agree to it before it becomes law.
What will the bill do?
The Bill would make dog and cat theft a specific criminal offence in England and Northern Ireland. People found guilty of the offence could be given up to five years in prison, a fine, or both.
You can read more about what the Bill would do in this House of Commons Library Research Briefing.
What happens next?
Having passed the House of Commons it will now go to the House of Lords. If the House of Lords make any changes to it, it will go back to the House of Commons who will decide if they agree with the changes.
When both Houses agree the final text of the Bill, it will go to the King to receive Royal Assent. This means it becomes a law and is called an 'Act'.
- Read more about the bill and keep up to date with its progress
- Read more about how laws are made
- Easy Read: How laws are made
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Parliament approves new laws on pet abduction
On May 25, the Pet Abduction Act passed into law, creating two new criminal offences of dog abduction and cat abduction in England and Northern Ireland. The offences will have a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a fine, or both. The Act also provides powers to extend the legislation to cover other pets if necessary.
Before the Act was passed, there was no legislation aimed at addressing pet theft specifically. Animals fell under the definition of property in legislation, and as such pet theft was dealt with under the Theft Act 1968. Under the new Act, there would be no need to prove that the intention was to ‘permanently deprive’ someone of their pet.
Read more about the new law in the House of Commons Library briefing.
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