Pet theft victims disappointed by lack of Welsh kidnapping laws

A “shocked” owner whose dog went missing six years ago has criticized the decision not to make pet kidnapping a specific crime in Wales.

Kerwin Powell said she felt “isolated” after her collie Spot disappeared.

The Pet Abduction Bill does not apply to Wales, as animal welfare is a devolved issue.

The Welsh Government said Wales would not be included in the bill to ensure its resources have the greatest impact on delivering animal welfare plans.

Pet theft is currently classified as theft, and stolen pets are legally treated as inanimate objects.

The Pet Kidnapping Bill, introduced by Conservative MP Anna Firth, would make it a special offense to kidnap pets in England and Northern Ireland.

Under the new law, anyone convicted of a crime could face a fine or up to five years in prison.

However, as animal welfare is a devolved issue, it will be up to the Senedd to bring forward similar measures in Wales.

Mr Powell's collie, Spot, went missing in December 2018.

Despite an extensive search, the spot has not been found since.

Ms Powell, 58, from Llanwulda, Carmarthenshire, said losing her spot was devastating.

“It's like losing a family member,” he said.

“You know someone's missing when you're doing something at home. If your dog gets stolen, there's no stopping you. You don't know what happened to the dog.”

Powell said current laws are not strong enough to combat pet theft.

“We need to do something about this because people are just really stuck. There's no help coming from anywhere but the UK. [Northern] Ireland will receive some aid if the bill passes parliament, but nothing is planned for Wales. ”

The Pet Theft Task Force was established following an increase in pet theft during the pandemic, and the kidnapping bill was one of its recommendations.

Sir Robert Buckland, a former Welsh minister and South Swindon MP who was on the task force, said: “The problem with the Theft Act is that it deals with property, and many people keep their pets for nothing. “I think of it as more than just property,” he said.

“We want families to have the protection of the law, which is why kidnapping is a much better option than treating animals as mere property.”

Sir Robert called on the Welsh Government to enact similar reforms, saying pet owners in Wales “should not be placed in a different position” to pet owners in other parts of the UK.

Debbie Matthews, co-founder of the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance, which started calling for the law to be changed 10 years ago, said: “This will be very worrying for people in Wales.”

“I know Scotland has dog theft laws, but if Wales doesn’t, does that mean Wales will become a hotspot for dog and cat abductions?”

RSPCA Cymru is concerned that pets in Wales could be further targeted in other parts of the UK.

Billie Jade Thomas, from RSPCA Cymru, said: “We hope that the Welsh Government will continue to monitor the situation and that any decisions they make will be the result of an evidence-based approach.”

RSPCA Cymru recommends the following measures for owners to protect their pets:

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We want all animals to have a good quality of life and we are achieving this through an ambitious program of reforms set out in our Animal Welfare Plan. ” he said.

“We are focusing on the areas that will have the greatest benefit for animal welfare across Wales, including the ongoing consultation on licensing animal welfare facilities, exhibitions and activities.

“To ensure that our resources have the maximum impact on animal welfare, Wales will not be included in the Pet Abduction Bill.”

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