Pet Theft Awareness Day: Urgent Action Needed as Dog Theft Reaches Epic Proportions
As we approach the fifth anniversary of Pet Theft Awareness Day, on the 14th of March, the bill proposed by the Government’s Pet Theft Task Force, launched in May 2021, is still awaiting its third reading in the House of Commons. The key element of the bill, the creation of a new ‘dog abduction’ offence, will make it easier for police forces to clamp down on offenders. Controversially, the bill does not cover cats and other pets, and the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance (SAMPA) is campaigning for the bill to be amended to include cats.
Estimates suggest the number of dog thefts has reached epic proportions over the last two years, when demand for puppies and dogs reached unprecedented levels, with Google searches for ‘buy a puppy’ seeing a 160% increase. With so many households wanting to get their hands on new puppies, the average cost of a dog more than doubled last year. According to the Pet Theft Taskforce, there is evidence that Organised Crime Groups are involved.
“The worst year ever known”
According to data from police forces in England and Wales, there was a 3.5% increase in the number of reported dog thefts in 2020. Since the March 2020 lockdown, Dog Lost, the largest lost and found service in the UK, claimed 2020 was the ‘worst year ever known’ for stolen dogs.
It’s thought that around 2,000 dogs are stolen in the UK every single year. That’s more than 5 dogs that are taken from their owners every day.
Sounding the alarm over dog theft
Pet insurance company, petGuard are looking to sound the alarm over cases of dog theft as part of this year’s Dog Theft Awareness Day.
Head of Marketing for petGuard, Alex Bennett said: “Dog theft is a deeply upsetting crime which has blighted dog owners across the country over the last year. As a nation of dog lovers, it’s time we put a muzzle on dog thieves and Dog Theft Awareness Day is a great initiative to do just that.” He added, “All our insurance policies include cover for local advertising and a £250 reward if pets are missing for more than 24 hours.”
Dog Theft Awareness Day takes place on March 14th. It is an annual event to alert pet owners about the worrying number of dogs that are stolen every year. Dog Theft Awareness Day is organised by SAMPA, the first Dog Theft Awareness Day was first held in parliament in 2017.
At petGuard, we believe it is never too early to protect your 4-legged best friend.
Read more on:
https://www.petguard.co.uk/dog-theft-awareness
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