Dog theft: 7 tips to protect your pet from dognapping and keep them safe as new Pet Abduction Bill becomes law

• The Pet Abduction Act came into effect in England and Northern Ireland from August 23.
• Around seven in 10 crimes recorded by police in which animals are stolen involve dogs according to the Pet Theft Taskforce.
• The new legislation means that anyone found guilty of stealing a dog will face up to five years in prison, a fine or both.

A new Pet Abduction Act has came into effect in England and Northern Ireland. Before this, the distressing crime of pet theft had been treated in the same way as the theft of household item such as a mobile phone or bike.

The new law recognises that cats and dogs are not inanimate objects but sentient beings capable of experiencing distress and other emotional trauma when they are stolen from their families.

The Pet Theft Taskforce suggests that around 2,000 dog and over 400 cat theft crimes were reported to police in 2020, with seven in 10 crimes recorded by police in which animals are stolen involving dogs.

There was a reported 3.5% increase in recorded cases of dog theft between 2019 and 2020. This was despite a 26% decrease in police recorded theft offences overall during the same time period.

Under the new legislation anyone found guilty of stealing a dog will face up to five years in prison, a fine or both.

The team at VetHelpDirect.com have put together seven top tips on how to protect your dog from theft.

Secure your house and garden 

Remember to keep all your doors locked, even when you’re home. Secure your garden gate with a strong padlock where possible, and make sure the boundary is secured.

Front gardens are particularly easy for criminals to access, so unless the area can be secured, do not leave your dog unattended in that area. CCTV and floodlights act as good deterrents too.

Vary your walks

Try to vary the route or times of your walks, so they aren’t predictable. Walking with friends or in populated areas adds an extra deterrent.

Be careful when posting on social media

We all want to show off how cute our pups are on social media. However, be careful not to give too much away, such as your address or favourite walk.

Never leave your dog unattended

Whether it’s outside a shop, in your car or on a walk, you never know when opportunistic thieves may be passing. This includes keeping your dog in sight at all times on a walk. If they haven’t got good recall, keep them on a lead until this improves.

Make sure your dog is microchipped

It is a legal requirement that all dogs are microchipped by the age of eight weeks. They must also wear a collar with a tag when out of the home, stating your name and address.

Other useful information for the tag includes a phone number, as well as ‘I’m chipped’ and ‘I’m neutered’. This may help to deter thieves. You could also consider investing in a GPS tracker for your pet.

Keep up-to-date photos of your pet 

It’s a good idea to have up to date photos of your dog, including close ups of any distinguishing features. These will help if the worst should happen, and you need to advertise your pet as missing or stolen

Consider neutering your pet 

Pets are often stolen for puppy farming, as thieves can make even more money from one animal by breeding from them. Neutering your pet may deter thieves, especially if you include this information on their collar

What should I do if my dog is stolen?

If your dog has been stolen it’s important that you contact the police to report the theft as soon as possible. Give a detailed description to help with identification and also report it to your local council or dog warden.

If your dog is microchipped contact the company to report your pet as stolen, this means that if anyone takes your pet to the vet and scans the microchip this will flag up.

It’s also a good idea to contact local vets, missing pet organisations and pet lost and found social media groups, you can also use social media to advertise your dog as missing and to help spread the word in your local community.

You can find out more about the new Pet Abduction Bill that has become law in England and Northern Ireland at GOV.UK.