Call for tougher sentences as dog thefts soar

THE RSPCA today warned that a spike in dog thefts was “incredibly worrying” and called for stronger sentences for criminals after the number stolen in the capital hit a seven-year high.

There were 422 thefts of dogs reported in London last year with many of the pets worth thousands of pounds, figures compiled by Direct Line Pet Insurance show.

Across the UK as manyas 2,760 dogs were stolen over the same period, representing a 16 per cent rise since 2015. While London was the hardest-hit area in the country, West Yorkshire and Kent were second and third.

A spokesman for the RSPCA said the rise in thefts had been partly fuelled by the demand for dogs during lockdown as prices soared. Figures revealed under the Freedom of Information Act show the most likely breeds to be targeted are French bulldogs, inset, costing more than £3,000, followed by Jack Russell terriers and other small dogs l i ke chihuahuas and pugs.

The RSPCA said: “We believe there should be strong sentences for these types of crimes that recognise that having a pet stolen is not like having a car or a TV stolen. Our pets are beloved family members and sentences for pet thieves should reflect the distress caused to pets and their owners when they’re taken.

“Legislation to tackle the issue of pet theft is one of a raft of measures that is included in the proposed Kept Animals Bill which the RSPCA strongly supports.” They also recommend that dogs are microchipped and never allowed out alone in an unsecured garden. It is estimated that 3.8 million people bought dogs during the pandemic.