Originally published 2021-09-08.
Yes, stealing a pet is now a specific crime in England. The Pet Abduction Act 2024 makes taking a dog or cat from its owner or keeper an offence punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine, or both. The offences came into force on 24 August 2024 and also apply in Northern Ireland.
The road to that law began in September 2021, when the UK government accepted the advice of a Pet Theft Taskforce and said it would create a new "pet abduction" offence. Here is why it acted, what changed, and what owners can do to keep their animals safe.
Why the government acted in 2021
During the Covid-19 lockdowns, demand for dogs soared. People were spending far more time at home, and many decided it was finally the moment to get a puppy. Google searches for "buy a puppy" rose by more than 160% between March and August 2020, according to the taskforce.
Prices followed. The listings site Pets4Home reported an average puppy price of £1,875 in 2020, up from £810 the year before, and Dogs Trust found that some popular breeds rose by almost 90% during the first lockdown. A valuable, easily sold animal is an obvious target for thieves.
Owners grew anxious, and stories of dogs snatched from gardens or during walks spread widely on social media. The government set up the taskforce in May 2021 to look at the evidence, and its report was published on 3 September 2021.
How big was the problem, really?
The taskforce estimated that around 2,000 dog thefts were reported to police in England and Wales in 2020. That figure was widely repeated, but the detail behind it is more nuanced than the headlines suggested.
Freedom of information data from 33 of the 43 police forces showed 1,504 recorded dog thefts in 2020, only 3.5% more than in 2019, even though overall theft fell by about a quarter that year. Reports to the charity DogLost rose much more sharply, from 172 to 465. Recorded cat thefts also climbed, from 150 in 2015 to 441 in 2020.
What stood out most was how rarely thieves were caught. Fewer than 1% of recorded dog theft cases in 2020 led to a charge, and only about a fifth of stolen dogs were returned to their owners. So the case for change was less about a dramatic surge in numbers and more about a crime that was hard to solve and deeply painful for victims.
What the taskforce recommended
Before 2024, stealing a pet was prosecuted under the Theft Act 1968, which treats an animal like any other property. Courts could already consider emotional distress when sentencing, but the law itself focused on the owner's loss rather than the animal's welfare. The taskforce's central idea was to shift that focus.
Its seven recommendations were:
- Create a new pet abduction offence that recognises animals as sentient beings, starting with dogs and exploring other animals.
- Record pet theft more consistently and track cases through the criminal justice system.
- Require more details on microchip databases, improve those databases and track changes of keeper more closely, possibly through a single point of access.
- Keep police, the RSPCA and local authorities working together and publicise successes.
- Push online sales platforms to verify sellers' identities and encourage cashless payments.
- Seek evidence on registering small-scale breeders below the licensing threshold.
- Support police pilots of voluntary DNA databases and forensic marking alongside microchipping.
Announcing the plan, then Home Secretary Priti Patel said the new offence "acknowledges that animals are far more than just property". RSPCA chief executive Chris Sherwood said: "We hope this will encourage courts to hand out much tougher sentences to pet thieves."
How the Pet Abduction Act 2024 works
The government first tried to include the offence in its Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, but that bill was dropped in May 2023. The idea returned as a private member's bill introduced by Anna Firth MP in December 2023 and taken through the House of Lords by Lord Black of Brentwood, with government support. It received Royal Assent on 24 May 2024, the last sitting day before that year's general election.
The key points:
- Who is covered: dogs and cats. Ministers can extend the offence to other animals commonly kept as pets through secondary legislation.
- What is illegal: taking or keeping a dog or cat away from its lawful owner or keeper without a lawful excuse.
- Penalty: up to five years in prison, a fine, or both.
- Where: England and Northern Ireland. Wales and Scotland were not covered by the new offences, so pet theft there is still handled under general theft law.
- When: the offences took effect on 24 August 2024.
The maximum sentence is lower than the seven years available for ordinary theft. The difference is in what the law recognises: the welfare of the animal and the distress caused to it and its family, not just the value of what was taken.
How to protect your dog or cat
A law helps after the event. Prevention still matters most. Animal charities and police commonly advise owners to:
- Keep microchip details up to date. Microchipping has been compulsory for dogs in England since 2016, and for cats from 10 June 2024. A chip is only useful if the address and phone number are current.
- Do not leave a dog tied up outside a shop or alone in a car.
- Secure your garden. Check fences, lock gates and consider a bell on the gate so you hear if it opens.
- Vary walking routes and times, and be cautious of strangers asking detailed questions about your dog.
- Share less online. Avoid posting your exact location, home address or routine alongside photos of your pet.
- Keep recent photos showing any distinctive markings, which help police and rescue groups.
If you are buying a pet, see the puppy or kitten with its mother at the breeder's home, be wary of sellers who insist on meeting somewhere neutral, and avoid cash. If your pet is stolen, report it to the police, ask for a crime reference number and alert your microchip database, local vets and rescue centres.
The other side of the lockdown pet boom
As offices reopened and normal life resumed in 2021, animal welfare charities reported a rise in dogs being abandoned or handed in by owners who could no longer care for them. Some had been bought on impulse, without thought for the years of time, training and money a dog needs.
That is worth remembering for anyone thinking of getting a pet. Researching the breed, budgeting for food, insurance and vet bills, and planning for holidays and working days will do more for an animal's welfare than any criminal law. Rescue centres are also a good place to start, and many offer support after adoption.
Sources: GOV.UK: Pet Theft Taskforce report (3 September 2021); GOV.UK: Pet Abduction Bill becomes law (24 May 2024); Wikipedia: Pet Abduction Act 2024.
COMMENTS