is it time to reform Pet Theft legislation?

There are five cases of pet theft reported to the police every day. But we believe there are many more cases that never get allocated a crime reference number so are not included in these shocking figures.
Of the reported cases, only one in five of these dogs are ever reunited. According to Direct Line insurance's FOI request police figures for Dog Theft is on the rise..
Detection rates are very, very poor and even when a case is brought to court the guilty almost always just get a suspended sentence or a fine.
Even when the crime was caught on CCTV the police did not charge a thief even though the theft was admitted.
Does this shock you? It does us! Would you like to make this heinous crime less attractive to crooks?

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1.
Please tick all the statements you agree with:

It's only a pet, the police are already too busy dealing with real crime

We've made stealing scrap metal have a serious consequence and that has pretty much stopped - maybe now the crooks have moved onto stealing people's pets as that's less risky. It's an outrage that scrap metal is better protected than our best friends.

The law as it stands leaves pet owners totally exposed to extortion - even when guilt is established these criminals walk free - there is currently very little chance of being caught and no consequence e - apart from the suffering of the stolen pets and their devastated owners.

It's only a dog.

You'd get in much more trouble for stealing someone's bicycle - it's madness.

I feel deeply let down by the legal system, this must urgently change

Maybe the laws were written in a time before dogs weren't part of our family - they need to be brought up to date as the crooks are exploiting this lapse

Pets are part of the family - their loss is incomparable to having a mobile phone stolen

I'm horrified, what deterrent is there if there is so little consequence? No wonder pet theft is on the rise!

Other (please specify)

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2. Have you been affected by pet theft?

Don't think it's a big problem, but would like it to stop

Never happened to me, but live in fear

A relative, friend or contact on social media has had a pet stolen

Really not bothered

My pet/s were stolen (please tell us more if you can)

My pet was lost now presumed stolen as has never been returned

Tell us more and leave an email if we can contact you, sharing your story may help change the law

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3. Which of these crimes do you feel should USUALLY carry a prison sentence?

Cruelty to animals

Snatching a pet or luring one away on a walk

Premeditated and organised pet theft for profit

Stealing a car

Home invasion to steal a pet

Corporate fraud

Handling stolen dogs, breeding from them

Counterfeiting money

Finding a dog and not informing the dog warden or trying to contact the owner

Inadvertent pet theft - eg buying a previously stolen dog

Opportunist pet theft - taking a dog tied up outside shop etc

Shoplifting

Handling stolen dogs, selling them online

Stealing scrap metal or selling it on

Stealing someone's mobile phone or wallet

Handling stolen dogs, using them for fighting

Attempting to extort money from an owner before returning a stolen pet

Buying stolen dogs

Stealing a bike or selling one on

Tax evasion

Stealing a dog or dogs

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4. Do you agree with this statement? The Sentencing Council needs to amend the guidelines to ensure that all cases of companion animal theft are treated equally seriously, regardless of monetary value. (At the moment there is a division between pets worth more or less than £500).

Strongly agree

Agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Other (please specify)

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5. Which category would you think appropriate for a proven case of pet theft? Which of these sentencing boundaries would be appropriate? The law looks at monetary value - ie replacement - but what value do you put on your pet - most would say they are priceless, you would not sell your pet for any price. Which category of offence do you think dog theft should be:

1 - Very high value goods (monetary value of good stolen £100k and above) or
High value with significant additional harm to the victim or others - sentence guide from 25 weeks to 6 years in custody dependent on culpability

2 - High value goods stolen (£10,000 to £100,000) and no significant additional harm or Medium value with significant additional harm to the victim or others - sentence guide from a High Level community order t 3.5 years in custody dependent on culpability

3 - Medium value goods stolen (£500 to £10,000) and no significant additional harm or Low value with significant additional harm to the victim or others - sentence guide from a fine to 2 years in custody dependent on culpability

4 - Low value goods stolen (up to £500) and
Little or no significant additional harm to the victim or others - sentence guide from a fine to 36 weeks in custody dependent on culpability

Other (please specify)

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6. If someone were to steal your dog, try to imagine how you might feel? At the moment the law just looks at the replacement value of the dog to decide what category the theft falls in. Tick all the following you agree with.

My pet is totally irreplaceable

I would become very depressed imagining terrible things

I am pretty sure my health would suffer

I would eventually get over this, these things happen

My pet is probably the most valuable thing in my life

Until I got my dog back I couldn't work

I would like these criminals to be sentenced at the same level as someone stealing the highest value possessions or harming someone as this would devastate me more than a physical assault.

Until I got my dog back I couldn't rest

It's not like its a human that's been kidnapped, the pet is probably perfectly happy somewhere else

I would be more distressed about someone stealing my pet than them taking any of my material possessions

I can literally think of nothing worse, my worst nightmare realised.

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7. Did you know that on July 2nd at 4.30pm in the Westminster Hall parliament will be debating whether to make Pet Theft a specific crime?

Yes, I've emailed/written/tweeted to my MP - and they are attending!

Yes, I've emailed/written/tweeted my MP - not yet heard back

Yes, I will emaii/write/tweet to my MP and encourage them to attend

No! Please tell me how I can help make this happen?

Not interested

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8. Here's how to write to your MP. http://www.stolenandmissingpetsalliance.co.uk/write-to-your-mp/

I will contact my MP immediately

I will do it later

Thank you, but I will not be contacting my MP

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* 1. Please tick all the statements you agree with:

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* 2. Have you been affected by pet theft?

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* 3. Which of these crimes do you feel should USUALLY carry a prison sentence?

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* 4. Do you agree with this statement? The Sentencing Council needs to amend the guidelines to ensure that all cases of companion animal theft are treated equally seriously, regardless of monetary value. (At the moment there is a division between pets worth more or less than £500).

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* 6. If someone were to steal your dog, try to imagine how you might feel? At the moment the law just looks at the replacement value of the dog to decide what category the theft falls in. Tick all the following you agree with.

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* 7. Did you know that on July 2nd at 4.30pm in the Westminster Hall parliament will be debating whether to make Pet Theft a specific crime?

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* 8. Here's how to write to your MP. http://www.stolenandmissingpetsalliance.co.uk/write-to-your-mp/

1.
Please tick all the statements you agree with:

2. Have you been affected by pet theft?

3. Which of these crimes do you feel should USUALLY carry a prison sentence?

4. Do you agree with this statement? The Sentencing Council needs to amend the guidelines to ensure that all cases of companion animal theft are treated equally seriously, regardless of monetary value. (At the moment there is a division between pets worth more or less than £500).

6. If someone were to steal your dog, try to imagine how you might feel? At the moment the law just looks at the replacement value of the dog to decide what category the theft falls in. Tick all the following you agree with.

7. Did you know that on July 2nd at 4.30pm in the Westminster Hall parliament will be debating whether to make Pet Theft a specific crime?

8. Here's how to write to your MP. http://www.stolenandmissingpetsalliance.co.uk/write-to-your-mp/