Victims of pet thefts asked to give views ahead of law change
TAKE PART IN SURVEY
POLICE are urging people to voice their concerns about the laws on pet theft – and whether they’re tough enough.
Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner Keith Hunter has been urging people in Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Scunthorpe to have their say on the laws on pet theft. The Home Secretary is currently reviewing the issue of pet theft and what future enforcement may look like with potentially tougher penalties for perpetrators.
It comes as the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) launches a national survey, designed to understand public perception of dog theft, enforcement and the prosecution of offenders. The responses to this survey will help inform the discussions that PCCs will have on this issue nationally and allow police forces to better understand the public’s views on this crime and how they might improve their response to these concerns. Demand for dogs as pets has increased during the coronavirus pandemic.
The cost of some puppies, on the website Pets4Homes, is currently as high as £3,000, making them a valuable commodity to criminals. According to the website Dog Lost, the UK’s largest lost and found dog service, it is estimated that thefts have risen by 250 per cent, with criminal gangs involved. Police and Crime Commissioner Keith Hunter wants local residents to take part in the first national consultation on this very topical issue. He said: “Around 2,000 dogs are reported stolen each year, but we know many more go unreported.
“Only around one in five are returned to their families. “Currently, under British law, dogs are classed no differently than any other item of property under the Theft Act, meaning if criminals are caught, they are treated no differently than if they had stolen, for example, a mobile phone.
“The theft of a much-loved pet, which can provide companionship to the vulnerable, can be extremely distressing and most dog owners consider their pets to be family members. “Responding to this survey will help authorities to better judge the scale of the problem and inform how Government interprets or changes the law in the future.” The 60-second survey will be open until 5pm on Friday, March 12. Visit: https://ron-cue-web-prod.tm-aws. com/cue-web/#/online-preview