Dog Thefts
Now with my previous blog post looking at microchipping laws being championed by Tuks Law.
What also needs to go be highlighted especially as it has risen during lockdown is Pet Theft. Now one of the problems is how pet theft is recognised the animal is seen as an object both under your insurance and in the eyes of the law. It is difficult for the law and legislators to address how the animal is seen whether they be a dog, cat, or other companion animals. Some animals such as Pedigree dogs, cats, or horses and livestock carry greater value in insurance terms because of their monetary value. But due to how animals are seen in the law under the Theft Act 1968 they are seen as an object in the Animal Welfare act 2006 theft is not mentioned. This then leads to a lack of statistical record as individual police forces hold information and it is not recorded nationally making it more difficult to find out the information this in itself causes an issue. The media and insurance companies hold more of the data but this is still incomplete.
These statistics are what we need to lobby the government to highlight this as a problem.
In my local area in Suffolk, we had a boarding kennel broken into where the thieves stole 4 dogs and 13 puppies on the 9th of July. Now I hope the dogs are found and returned promptly to their families but this is not always the case. This is where we need to also link this to microchip laws as if the dogs are found in a county or part of the country which is a great distance from Suffolk, contacting the original owner may be an issue. If the dog is in a kill shelter or kennel the dog will only have seven days in some cases to be claimed. If the owner of said dog is not contactable or any of the information used to contact them has changed this could cause a lag in their being a contact. Having that secondary point of contact with the original breeder or rescue provides that added safety net for that animal and an additional contact for both the police as well as the shelter. It is also crucial that the dog is identified correctly as there have been cases where animals have been mistakenly operated on or euthanised due to a technical error as was the case with a family's dachshund. Whilst this is not commonplace it is something which could be prevented with vets scanning more rigorously. However, owners also must ensure they go above and beyond for their pet and aim for all companion animals to be chipped so that they are safer regardless of it is not the law for all animals.
Now Sampa is also working to address the problem of pet theft and have a robust campaign that has gained a lot of support for shifting sentencing of pet theft to either a more serious classification of sentencing or separate guidelines. This is essential for recognising the crime as more severe without redefining how the law looks at companion animals. This distinction is an important talking point as although we should recognise an animal's intelligence and individuality as many owners would agree it is difficult to define this value in a courtroom. So whilst the law can certainly be strengthened in years to come we need to see a solid base to work from. Should the UK follow Australia’s lead and impose further provisions for companion animals with heftier fines. For example, if the animal welfare laws provided further guidance for responsible pet ownership. A specific theft bill could be used in conjunction with a revised Animal Welfare act which would allow thieves to be charged both for the distress of the animal and theft of the animal. Whilst it is worth noting what other countries are doing to promote stronger welfare laws we have to address gaps in our own. Being disqualified from owning an animal is difficult to enforce when the sale of animals is not in itself more regulated or the offending party identifiable to breeders, businesses, or owners. I will cover this point and further address other companion animals in a subsequent blog.
The campaigns run by Tuks Law and SAMPA are both listed below we need both to have an impact on this awful crime and need to do more to protect our four-legged friends and treasured members of the family.
https://www.stolenandmissingpetsalliance.co.uk/about-sampa/
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2017-2019/0245/cbill_2017-20190245_en_2.htm
