Pet owners call for tougher measures for dog thieves

The survey, promoted by Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones, comes amid growing evidence that dogs have become a growing target for criminals.

DogLost, a UK charity that helps victims of dog theft, recorded a 170 per cent increase in the crime, from 172 dogs reported stolen in 2019 to 465 dogs in 2020.

Key findings from the survey included 97 per cent said that dog theft is a serious problem, 22 per cent have had a dog stolen or knew someone who had over the last year, 79 per cent of those people said they had grown more fearful of taking their dog for a walk during the day and 83 per cent have grown more fearful of taking their dog for a walk at night.

There was also strong support for changing the law to reflect the emotional impact of having a pet stolen and sentencing guidelines should reflect this.

At present, dog theft is not defined as a specific crime, with dogs classed as property under the Theft Act 1968.

If caught, the penalty for stealing pets is generally a small fine or suspended sentence.

Lincolnshire PCC Marc Jones said currently police forces do not specifically record theft of pets and this makes it extremely difficult to fully understand the extent of the crime, track any trends and put in place the appropriate police response.

He said: “I will be speaking with Lincolnshire Police about what can be done to better record information to aid preventative measures and police operations.

"I know that locally some dogs have been recovered by the force which is great but the public need to feel more reassured.

“I would like to thank everybody who took part in the survey which elicited such a huge public response.

"Pets are part of people’s family and the devastating emotional impact of this crime should no longer be overlooked.

“I have already spoken directly to the Home Secretary about the issue and will continue to urge her to consider the introduction of tougher measures to prevent pet thefts and increase sentences for offenders.”