New cat and dog law comes into force with five year jail penalty and hefty fine
New cat and dog law comes into force with five year jail penalty and hefty fine
Pet abduction has officially been made a criminal offence, with offenders facing up to five years behind bars.
The Pet Abduction Bill received Royal Assent on Friday, May 24, and slaps pet thieves in England or Northern Ireland with a lengthy jail sentence, a hefty fine, or both. The new legislation acknowledges that pets are more than just property; they're sentient beings who feel the pain of separation and emotional distress when snatched from their loving homes.
Shocking figures from the Pet Theft Taskforce reveal that in 2020 alone, police were alerted to approximately 2,000 dog thefts and over 400 catnappings, leaving owners and pets in turmoil. With 28% of UK adults having a dog as a pet, and 24% a cat, it's no wonder pet theft strikes a nerve with the nation.
The Act is part of a broader initiative to safeguard pets, including the upcoming mandatory microchipping of cats from June 10, 2024. It means lost or stolen companions can be swiftly reunited with their families, Nottinghamshire Live reports.
Championing the cause in Parliament, MP Anna Firth said: "We are showing by our actions that cats and dogs are not just items, and that abducting them causes real distress to families and to individuals. Because actions speak far louder than words and this Bill will send a signal that we take animal welfare seriously in the UK."
MP Ben Everitt hailed the new bill a crucial fix for "a gap that has existed in law for far too long", pointing out that current laws fail to recognise the true impact of pet theft. During the report stage of the bill, Tory ex-minister Sirristopher Chope suggested the legislation should be limited to microchipped dogs and cats.
The MP argued: "If you don't have your cat or dog microchipped, then you shouldn't be able to expect the law to come to rush to your assistance in the event of your cat or dog being abducted. So, because apart from anything else, if you complain to the police that your cat or dog has been abducted and it hasn't been microchipped, it is all the more difficult to identify it and search for it, and so on."He added: "It seemed to me that on that great principle of English equity, if you seek to come to the law, and protection of the law, you should come with clean hands." With compulsory microchipping for dogs already in place and set to extend to pet cats from June under new Government reforms, these changes aim to streamline access to microchip records, enhance the accuracy of the data, and unify databases.
Environment minister Robbie Moore assured that guidance will be given to the police, saying: "In the event that they can recover an abducted cat or dog that is not microchipped, they have the power to issue a notice under English microchipping regulations requiring pets to be microchipped within 21 days. For completeness, failing to comply with such a notice is an offence and subject to a fine of £500."
Sir Christopher also argued the bill should be extended to cover other pets such as tortoises. MPs agreed to amend the Bill to ensure the sections on dog and cat abduction also extend to Wales. Animal welfare charity Cats Protection welcomed the bill, saying it will "finally give pets the full recognition they deserve".The charity's senior advocacy and government relations officer Annabel Berdy said it will "help stamp out the criminal activities that prey on much-loved pet cats by onward selling or from breeding kittens to sell".