Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Dog Theft

Thursday 9 December 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government launched a pet theft taskforce that published recommendations in September, including a new offence.
  • The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill includes a specific dog abduction offence.
  • The offence may be extended to other species, such as cats, in the future.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Scott Benton
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Dog theft has become a serious issue prompting the question. The MP is seeking information on steps taken by the government to address this problem.

Question

What steps he is taking to tackle dog theft?

Answer from Victoria Prentis

The Government launched the pet theft taskforce earlier this year, and it published its recommendations in September, including the development of a new offence. I am pleased to say this is now included in the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, which has passed its Committee stage. I look forward to its Report stage in the new year.

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Q2 Scott Benton
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Cat theft has increased significantly in recent years, with a more than threefold increase over the last six years. The MP is seeking information on government measures to protect cats.

Question

I welcome the Government's taking animal cruelty seriously by introducing a specific dog abduction offence to crack down on dog theft. Cat owners have recently been more likely to purchase high-value pedigree cats and, heartbreakingly, criminals are now exploiting these cats and their owners, with cat theft rising more than threefold in the last six years. What measures are the Government taking to protect cats and to ensure there is no place for animal cruelty in our society?

Answer from Victoria Prentis

I am sympathetic to my hon. Friend's point. The offence, as currently drafted, includes the power to extend it to other species. We are also taking other measures to protect cats, including compulsory microchipping, which was announced last week.

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