Hansard

I thank members on all sides of the chamber for supporting the motion.

Dog theft is a serious and growing problem. It is estimated that in 2020, almost 200 dogs were stolen in Scotland, and almost 2,500 were stolen across the United Kingdom as a whole. That works out at nearly seven dogs stolen each and every day. The problem got worse during the pandemic—the charity DogLost recorded an alarming 170 per cent increase in cases. However, that should not be entirely unexpected. The loneliness that many felt during the long months of lockdown resulted in an increased demand for dogs as pets, and we know that dogs are the animal that is most likely to be stolen. Figures from the Metropolitan Police show that an astonishing seven out of 10 stolen animals are dogs, and, given that the price of certain breeds jumped by as much as 89 per cent during lockdown, dog theft can be a very lucrative crime.

However, it is important to recognise that the data on dog theft is woefully incomplete. We do not know exactly how many incidents take place, where the theft hotspots are or how certain breeds might be targeted. The existing law treats stealing a dog as any other property theft, so there is no requirement for the police to record the fact that a dog was involved, let alone additional information such as breed type. That brings us to a simple, sad fact: the law of the land treats dogs as nothing more than things. As far as the law is concerned, stealing a dog is no different from stealing a mobile phone, television or any other inanimate object.

However, dogs are not objects—they are part of the family. For many people, their dogs are by far the most important part of their lives. The current law simply does not recognise the treasured and irreplaceable role that they have.

That means that justice is very rarely served. Because the law treats dogs as mere property, the dog’s monetary value will influence sentencing. However, the Kennel Club estimates that many older dogs that are stolen are worth well under £500, and so their theft potentially attracts a lighter punishment. It is unsurprising, therefore, that there is little evidence that maximum sentences are being handed out. However, sentencing matters only if there are convictions. Sadly, across the UK, where suspects are identified, just 5 per cent of cases lead to someone being charged and, in total, just 1 per cent of dog thefts actually lead to prosecutions. That is not justice.

Given those problems, it is understandable that, until now, the focus has been on prevention. Police Scotland and animal welfare bodies are working hard to educate and support dog owners to avoid thefts. Microchipping helps, and all dogs over eight weeks old must be chipped and registered, but that only goes so far. There are multiple competing microchip databases, which makes access cumbersome, and records are not always properly updated, so it can be difficult to reunite dogs with owners.

As dogs and owners lack proper protection, I am introducing a member’s bill to help tackle this growing problem. My bill will create a specific offence of dog theft, and will base punishment on the welfare impact on the animal and the owner, not just on the dog’s monetary value. It will provide for data recording so that we can build an accurate picture of dog theft in Scotland and help to prevent future thefts.

My bill will also ensure that Scotland is not left behind internationally on animal welfare. France, parts of Australia and New Zealand already have specific offences, and England and Ireland are planning to introduce legislation soon. In addition, the equally poor data situation in England will be addressed with standardised crime recording across police forces, more robust rules for registering ownership and transfer data, and, in a very welcome move, the creation of a single point of access for the multitude of microchip databases. That is a huge step forward that we should be racing to take advantage of here in Scotland.

In Scotland, there is strong support for taking action. Welfare groups such as the Dogs Trust, the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Kennel Club, Blue Cross and Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home have come out publicly in support of my proposed bill. I am grateful for their support, and for the support that we see today across Parliament. Almost every party backed my motion on tackling dog theft. I am happy to sit down with the Greens—although I appreciate that they are not in the chamber today—to find a way for them to offer their support in the future, because this Parliament is at its best when it acts as one.

We should be as one when it comes to animal welfare—a cause that I am passionate about. That is why I am determined that Scotland should lead on this issue, with a specific offence of dog theft that recognises the welfare impact that that crime has on both animal and owner, improves data recording to help prevent future thefts, and—I hope—allows more stolen dogs to be reunited with their owners. If the famous old phrase that dogs are our best friend is true, we must repay that friendship and give our beloved companions the full protection of the law.