Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to make the theft of pet dogs a specific criminal offence.

The Government recognises the distress pet theft causes and will consider the evidence and what more could be done to prevent these cruel crimes. That is why we launched the Pet Theft Taskforce on 8 May. The Taskforce will:

• Work with police, law enforcement, and experts to understand and tackle pet theft.
• Consider the issue from end to end, including causes, prevention, reporting, enforcement and prosecution.
• Make clear and timely recommendations on ways to reduce pet theft.

Further information about the Pet Theft Taskforce, including its full terms of reference, can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/taskforce-launched-to-investigate-reported-rise-in-pet-thefts