Pet Theft Reform is the evidence-based campaign to make pet theft crime a specific offence with access to appropriate custodial sentences. This can be achieved by making changes to the Sentencing Guidelines associated with the Theft Act 1968.
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Progress in 2021:
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February 17, 2021: Prime Minister Boris Johnson tells Points of Light Award recipient Jayne Hayes (Founder of DogLost) 'I think we should look at increasing the sentences for dog thefts - let's work out what we can do'.
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February 12, 2021: Home Secretary Priti Patel MP tells LBC Radio she is 'looking at' tougher pet theft measures.
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February 10, 2021: National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) press release, 'Police encourage dog owners to take extra precautions'.
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February 10, 2021: Tom Hunt MP and Siobhan Baillie MP sent an open letter to the Sentencing Council asking them to amend the sentencing guidelines for pet theft.
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February 9, 2021: Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP tells LBC Radio he wants to 'Make Pet Theft A Specific Criminal Offence'.
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January, 2021: Battersea, Kennel Club and Blue Cross confirm public support for the campaign.
1. Dog theft crime continues to rise in the UK. The impact on the growing number of victims is devastating
2. Driven by organised crime, some criminals see dog theft as a low-risk, high-reward offence
3. Under the Theft Act 1968, pets are property - a stolen Labrador is a stolen laptop
4. Dogs are stolen to order, to sell, to breed from at puppy farms, for ransom, and even for use as bait in illegal dog fighting
5. In recent years only 1% of dog theft crimes have led to a prosecution. If caught, the sentence for stealing pets is generally a small fine or suspended sentence
6. Pet Theft Reform would give courts access to appropriate custodial sentences to act as a deterrent, provide punishment, and protect the public
What is Pet Theft Reform?
Pet Theft Reform is the evidence-based campaign to make pet theft crime a specific offence with access to appropriate custodial sentences. This can be achieved by making changes to the Sentencing Guidelines associated with the Theft Act 1968.
The Pet Theft Reform campaign was created by Dr Daniel Allen in collaboration with the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance (Sampa) in 2018. Sampa have been lobbying to make pet theft a specific offence since 2014.
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​Dr Allen's three government Pet Theft Reform petitions passed 100,000 signatures in three consecutive years; generating national media coverage, parliamentary debates, and gaining public, charity, and cross-party support.
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Reclassify the theft of a pet to a specific crime in its own right (2018)
Pet Theft Reform: Amend animal welfare law to make pet theft a specific offence (2019)
Make pet theft crime a specific offence with custodial sentences (2020)
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The Pet Theft Reform Team is now promoting a fourth government petition to show the growing public support for reform:
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Which organisations support Pet Theft Reform?
