Policy background
- The Government set up the Pet Theft Taskforce ("the Taskforce") to gather evidence to understand the factors that may be contributing to a perceived or real rise in pet thefts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Taskforce was a cross-government initiative including the Home Office, the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Justice. The Taskforce sought input from experts, law enforcement and animal welfare organisations to develop a clear evidence base.
- The Taskforce published their report in September 2021, that included several recommendations to tackle the issue of pet theft. Whilst noting that it is already a criminal offence to steal a pet under the Theft Act 1968, the Taskforce recommended that a specific offence of "pet abduction" should be developed. It was suggested that a pet abduction offence would more clearly recognise that pets are not mere items of property and would provide greater recognition of the impact on the animal, in addition to its owner, when it is unlawfully taken.
- The Taskforce also noted the difficulties associated with identifying and tracking cases of pet theft. This is because offences committed that involve the theft of a pet may be recorded under a range of offences under the Theft Act 1968, depending on the circumstances of the crime committed. The Taskforce recommended exploring options which could support improved recording and monitoring of pet theft to better inform the development of policy to tackle the issue, which this legislation is intended to contribute to.
- The Taskforce recommended that the scope of a pet abduction offence should include dogs, but that the applicability to other animals should be considered as the policy is developed. The Department considered further views expressed by stakeholders during the policy development and cats have been included into the scope of the offence introduced by the Act. The Department recognises that sufficient evidence to extend the offences to other pet species may be present in the future and the Act allows for such eventuality.
- In contrast to the core offence of theft under the Theft Act 1968, the new offences introduced by the Act do not require the prosecution to prove an intention to permanently deprive the other of the pet.
