The new Pet Abduction Act comes into force today (Saturday, 24th August 2024).
The Act was introduced as a Private Members Bill by former Conservative MP, Anna Firth, marking a significant milestone in the protection of pets across the United Kingdom. It will make the abduction of dogs and cats a specific criminal offence.
Previously, there was little under the law to deter criminals who would seek to profit from the sale of a stolen pet, with the theft of a beloved pet cat or dog treated no more severely than that of a mobile phone. Evidence from the Pet Theft Taskforce 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.
The new law recognises 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.
Commenting Kevin Foster said: “The loss of a treasured family pet who is part of the family, is very different to losing an item of property which can be replaced. This new law is welcome and will ensure those who kidnap or steal family pets face a sentence more fitting of the impact of their crime.”
