Sheffield MP says new pet abduction law will mean tougher sentences for 'horrible crime' after spate of dog thefts

Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East, raised the issue in parliament earlier this year after a spate of thefts in the city and called for people who are involved in these incidents to receive harsher sentences.

It comes after a report by the Government’s pet theft taskforce. which was set up in response to a rise in such offences during lockdown and due to pressure from MPs, made the recommendation for pet theft to become a separate criminal offence.

Ministers want to change the law so it reflects the severity of the crimes carried out by pet thieves by taking into account the emotional distress it can cause the animal and acknowledging they represent far more than just property to their owners.

It is hoped the plans will help police crackdown on criminals, make it easier for officers to track such incidents and make it harder for thieves to steal and sell pets.

The report said: “There is growing public feeling that criminal law and the sentencing for offences involving the theft of pets do not sufficiently recognise an animal as something more than mere property.

“We are aware of the calls from some campaigners to recognise that animals are different from inanimate objects through the creation of a new criminal offence, or through a change to sentencing practice.”

Mr Betts says the proposal is the right one and he hopes it will be enough to crack down on the crimes.

He told The Star: “I absolutely welcome this news. There is no doubt at all that this has become a much more serious issue in recent months.

"The main thing that I think needs to be realised is that this is not just about property, pets are very dear and personal to the families who care for them.

"Tougher sentences and a more clear-cut law will hopefully act as a deterrent from such a horrible crime.”

There has been a spate of dog thefts in Sheffield over the last year.

Last month, price comparison website Money.co.uk revealed some alarming data which showed Sheffield was one of the five hotspots outside of London where the most dogs were being snatched.

It said there had been 129 thefts in the city over the last five years based on analysis of Freedom of Information data.

Sheffield came in third after Leeds, which recorded 346 thefts, and Bradford, which had 244 thefts. In Huddersfield, there were 128 thefts, and in Blackpool, there were 108 thefts.

Back in March, South Yorkshire Police issued an urgent appeal after the theft of four puppies in a knifepoint robbery.

The pups, just a few weeks old, were stolen during a raid of a flat on Smelter Wood Road, Richmond.

Two robbers, wearing masks, entered the flat when the owner of the puppies was asleep.

When he challenged them, they threatened him with a knife before stealing the litter.

Three male puppies and one female puppy were stolen in the raid. Their mother was a mastiff mix and their father a cane corso.

Another theft occurred in December last year, when Lily, a brown and white Springer Spaniel, was stolen from her owner’s car in Sheffield city centre.

Lily was taken from the car in the area around the Moor just after 5.30pm on December 23.

And earlier this year, Thornberry Animal Sanctuary in North Anston was the target of an attempted raid, when two men scaled the perimeter fence and caused damage to the front of the premises.

Although they left empty handed, they are believed to have been looking for dogs to steal.

In another horrific incident in February, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, known as Sid, was taken from a different Sheffield animal sanctuary and sold just a few hours later.

RSPCA chief executive Chris Sherwood has welcomed plans to acknowledge the “seriousness” of the crime and said: “We hope this will encourage courts to hand out much tougher sentences to pet thieves.”

Environment Secretary George Eustice said reports of a rise in pet thefts have been “worrying” and owners should not have to “live in fear”, adding that the recommendations would “reassure” them.

Pet theft is not a specific crime and is currently considered as a loss of property to owners under the Theft Act 1968.

The new offence would recognise animal companions as sentient beings.

Although offences under the Theft Act carry a maximum term of seven years, ministers have acknowledged there is scant evidence of that being used because the severity of the sentence is partly determined by the monetary value of the item taken.

The taskforce, made up of government officials, police, prosecutors and councils, considered evidence from animal welfare organisations, campaign groups and academics.

Its report found seven out of 10 animal thefts recorded by the police involve dogs, with evidence suggesting around 2,000 dog theft crimes were reported to police in 2020.

While it considers the risk of theft to be low, in the context of an estimated UK dog population of 10.1 million, the emotional impact of having a pet stolen is “undeniable”, the report said.

Citing information from Dogs Trust, the findings indicated the price for five of the UK’s most sought-after breeds grew “significantly” during the first lockdown with the price of some rising by almost 90%.

Google searches for “buy a puppy” increased by over 160% in the months between March and August 2020 following the start of lockdown last year.

This potentially made dog theft more “appealing” to criminals, including organised crime groups, looking to profit from the spike in public interest in owning a pet, the report suggested.

The findings recommend the laws are developed “at pace”.

Previous suggestions the new offence could lead to tougher sentences, with a maximum jail term of around five years are yet to be confirmed.

It is thought the measure could be added to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill which is going through Parliament.

Other recommendations include:

– Requiring more details when registering a microchip, particular for transferring a dog to a new owner;

– Easier access to the multiple microchip databases in operation to make it easier to track lost or stolen dogs;

– Better and more consistent recording of pet thefts as data on the crimes is limited;

– More awareness campaigns providing advice on how to protect pets.

Ideas also considered by the taskforce included requiring proof of ID for all online pet adverts and allowing owners to register their dogs with police, including photos, DNA and ultraviolet markings as well as contact and microchip details.

Diane James, from the Blue Cross pet bereavement charity which has campaigned on the subject, said: “We hope changes to sentencing laws are brought in swiftly but would still advise owners to continue to be vigilant and follow advice to prevent becoming a victim of this abhorrent crime.”