Pet abduction to be made a criminal offence.
In the UK, theft of a pet is currently considered ordinary theft of a person’s property. The maximum sentence that can be passed under the Theft Act 1968 (UK) is 7 years’ imprisonment with the sentence often based on the monetary value of the item taken.
In May 2021, the Pet Theft Taskforce was launched to tackle the problem of increased incidents of pet theft during lockdown for COVID-19. Last year alone, it was reported that 2,000 dogs were stolen. Due to this reason, a new criminal offence for pet abduction is set to be introduced. The taskforce that has been established comprises of officials from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice along with the police, Boarder Force and Local government who have considered the evidence from academics, animal welfare organisations, campaign groups, enforcement agencies and industry experts.
An animal charity in the UK, Dogs Trust, reported that the price for 5 of the UK’s most desirable dog breeds grew “significantly” with some rising as much as 89%. The Google searches for “buy a puppy” has also risen by over 160% between March and August 2020, which is the period immediately following England’s first nationwide lockdown. The taskforce has suggested that dog theft has been made more appealing to criminals who seek to profit from the spike in demand for dogs or other pets during lockdown.
The Lord Chancellor, Robert Buckland QC MP said:
“Many of us have sought the companionship of pets during the pandemic which makes this crime even more cruel.” and “These proposals will make sure police can better identify and track down criminals who peddle in this heartless trade, whilst ensuring they are appropriately punished for their actions.”
The reason for proposing that pet abduction becomes a standalone offence is because ministers want a new law that addresses and acknowledges the emotional distress that pet abduction causes owners, however, at the moment, it is yet to be known what the maximum sentence for the new offence will be. Aside from the proposal to implement a new law, the taskforce also recommended the following:
Requiring additional information when registering a microchip, especially when transferring ownership
More straightforward access to the different microchip databases available to make it easier to track lost or stolen dogs
Improving collection and recording of data on pet thefts
Further initiatives by police and others to raise awareness about prevention tips.
The goal of the above proposals is to make it more difficult for thieves to abduct and sell pets, make it easier for police to apprehend offenders, and that sentences and penalties imposed on offenders will reflect the impact on the animal.
In Hong Kong, theft of a pet is considered the same as theft of any other property (much like the current UK position). In Hong Kong, the offence of theft is set out in the Theft Ordinance, with the maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment on indictment.
In a case of a stolen poodle late last year, the Magistrate said that “a dog is a living being. Stealing a dog is a more serious offence than stealing personal property like mobile phones.” In sentencing, the Magistrate passed a sentence of 2 years (being the highest sentence a magistrate can pass for a single offence) and then reduced the sentence by 8 months for the Defendant’s timely plea of guilty.
At the moment, there are currently no proposals for the introduction of pet theft into Hong Kong law. However, it is hoped that Hong Kong will move towards a similar direction that the UK has taken in order pass sentences appropriate and in line with the seriousness of abducting a pet.
