Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to progress legislative proposals on pet theft.

The theft of a much-loved pet causes emotional trauma and impacts pet owners and families. The Government launched a Pet Theft Taskforce in May 2021 in response to concerns about a perceived increase in pet theft during COVID restrictions.

The Pet Theft Taskforce concluded that a new offence of pet abduction would best address concerns that the criminal law is only currently capable of treating the theft of a pet as a theft of property; and also, to recognise the potential impact on their welfare when they are taken by strangers.

The offence as currently drafted in the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill focuses on dogs, with enabling powers. The inclusion of the enabling powers means that the Secretary of State will be able to extend the offence to other species of companion animal in the future by making regulations.

The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill completed its Commons Committee Stage in November. A carryover motion was passed by the House on 25 April 2022. The Bill will continue its passage as soon as parliamentary time allows.