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Dog Abduction Bill - Clause 6 (Commencement)
19 April 2024
Lead MP
Christopher Chope
Debate Type
Bill Debate
Tags
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Other Contributors: 21
At a Glance
Christopher Chope raised concerns about dog abduction bill - clause 6 (commencement) in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
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.
Christchurch
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.
Therese Coffey
Con
Nottingham North
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.
Ben Everitt
Con
King’s Lynn and West Norfolk
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.
Mark Francois
Con
Rayleigh and Wickford
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.
James Wild
Con
North West Norfolk
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.
Anna Firth
Con
Southend West
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.
Christchurch
[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.
Lisa Cameron
SNP
East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
[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.
James Wild
Con
North West Norfolk
[INTERVENTION] provided updated figures from House of Commons Library indicating around 1,500 cat thefts annually based on available data.
Lisa Cameron
SNP
Paisley and Renfrewshire North
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.
Daniel Zeichner
Lab
Cambridge
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.
Robbie Moore
Con
Keighley and Ilkley
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.
Christchurch
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.
Ben Everitt
Con
Milton Keynes North
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.
Peter Gibson
Lab
Darlington
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.
Mark Francois
Con
Rayleigh and Wickford
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.
James Wild
Con
North West Norfolk
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.
Daniel Zeichner
Lab
Cambridge
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.
Robbie Moore
Con
Keighley and Ilkley
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.
Mark Francois
Con
Rayleigh and Wickford
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.
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