Dog Abduction Bill - Clause 6 (Commencement)

Explained the differences between Report and Third Reading debates, outlined several amendments related to dog abduction offences, emphasising the need for lawful authority or reasonable excuse before an offence is committed. She also highlighted the importance of microchipping dogs in accordance with recent regulations.

Moved that clause 6 be read a second time, initiating debate on amendments related to dog abduction offences. He emphasised the need for lawful authority or reasonable excuse before an offence is committed.

Intervened during Rosie Winterton's speech, expressing concerns that the proposed amendment would make it more difficult for the police to deal with dog theft cases. She argued that the majority of pet owners comply with microchipping regulations.

Intervened during Rosie Winterton's speech, highlighting the link between organised crime and dog theft, suggesting that the amendment might be an issue but did not explicitly take a stance for or against.

Made points of order regarding serious events in the Middle East, temporarily diverting from the debate on dog abduction offences. No position was taken on the bill amendments.

Declared his interest as a cat owner and supported the inclusion of cats in the Bill due to successful campaigning by Cats Protection. He cited statistics on pet cat thefts from Battersea.

Amendments would restrict scope of Bill, remove protection for cats, exclude puppies from abduction offence despite value to owners. They undermine the intended spirit of protecting sentient animals regardless of microchipping status.

[INTERVENTION] asked Anna Firth for specific figures on cat thefts rather than percentages to better illustrate the issue. Emphasised the importance of gathering more precise data.

[INTERVENTION] highlighted emotional impact on families from losing pets, using her own experience of losing a kitten at four years old to illustrate personal stake in ensuring cat protection.

[INTERVENTION] provided updated figures from House of Commons Library indicating around 1,500 cat thefts annually based on available data.

She supports the Bill and amendments introduced by her hon. Friend, mentioning personal experience of losing a pet without microchipping technology. She highlights the work of the all-party parliamentary dog advisory welfare group in bringing Lucy’s law into legislation and stresses the importance of addressing pet theft for animal lovers. She also pays tribute to local animal sanctuaries and discusses the issue of pet theft involving highly pedigreed dogs taken for dog-fighting purposes, underscoring the need for the legislation.

He supports measures to tackle pet theft and abduction. He opposes amendment 10 which would remove cats from the scope of the Bill, stating that cat theft is a real issue with significant under-reporting due to lack of current reporting mechanisms. Zeichner cites evidence from Cats Protection regarding public interest in including cats in the legislation, arguing against delaying or diminishing the scope of the Bill.

The MP opposes amendments 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7 proposed by his colleague, arguing that they would undermine the scope for prosecutions in cases of dog and cat abduction. He commends the efforts to extend compulsory microchipping requirements to cats, noting the support from animal welfare organisations such as Cats Protection. The MP also highlights the success of previous legislation on compulsory dog microchipping and its positive impact on reunification rates.

The MP proposed several amendments aimed at addressing potential inefficiencies in police and local authority enforcement of microchipping laws. He is concerned about the waste of resources when trying to trace pets that have not been microchipped, but he supports including cats in the Bill once more stringent enforcement measures are implemented.

Supports the Bill, highlighting the importance of recognising pets as sentient beings and the need for stronger legal measures to deter pet theft. Discusses local pet theft issues and the impact on communities. Emphasises the distinction between dogs and cats in the legislation.

Praised his hon. Friend Anna Firth for her work on the Bill and acknowledged it as a significant step towards acknowledging pets' importance in families. He cited Durham Police data showing a decrease in pet theft from 66 incidents in 2019 to nine in 2023, yet still maintained that the issue is concerning. Gibson emphasised the emotional distress of pet owners when their pets are stolen and highlighted the broader context of animal protection legislation already enacted by the Government.

Complimented Anna Firth for her work on the Bill and highlighted other supporters such as Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Essex Police Commissioner Roger Hirst, Chief Constable Harrington, and the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation. He also paid tribute to the late Sir David Amess's passion for animal welfare and cross-party support for this legislation.

Welcomed the Bill and congratulated Anna Firth on her work. He declared an interest as a cat owner, emphasising that pets are stolen for various reasons and these thefts have traumatic effects on owners and pets. Wild highlighted data from Norfolk police showing 40 cats and 85 dogs recorded as stolen between 2019 and 2023, noting underreporting is likely. He also praised the amendment securing a date for legislation to come into effect three months after Royal Assent.

We support these measures which address the inadequacies of current legislation treating pets as property. The Kennel Club reported 2,355 cases of dog theft in 2020 and cats experienced a 40% increase in thefts since 2015. These offences will deter financial exploitation by pet abduction for sale or breeding.

We support this Bill as it is important to protect pets from unlawful taking. More than half of adults own at least one pet, with cats and dogs being favourites. The Bill builds on the work done by the pet theft taskforce in 2021 and acts on its recommendation for a pet abduction offence. This demonstrates our commitment to cracking down on pet theft.

Intervened to inquire whether he was being likened to a tiger due to his physical size or because of the tenacity and effectiveness with which he champions causes in the House.