Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 16 March 2022
I thank Maurice Golden for securing the debate, which I welcome. I acknowledge that the theft of dogs is on the rise, although we know that actual figures—for the reasons that he has given—are not available; I will come to that later.
Sometimes guilt, and certainly heartbreak, ensues when you have a much-loved pet stolen. You will not know what has happened to the dog, or anything about its future or how it has reacted to being removed from its home—all those things I appreciate. In my day, when my family had the companionship and affection of Roostie, our Irish setter and much-loved member of the family, she would sometimes go missing, but thankfully she had always simply wandered off. We soon found her, usually on the river bank at the bottom of the garden, or she trotted home herself.
We would have been distraught if she had been stolen. Even then, dog theft was virtually unknown. We are now in a different world, with demand outstripping supply and the high value, in monetary terms, that is put on dogs.
That is where I start. We are much more informed now and know that all animals are sentient beings—although, as pet owners, we have always known that, certainly of our dogs, with their individuality and personalities. They are indeed one of the family.
Now to the detail, where the devil always lies. I note that although Roddy Dunlop, who is dean of the Faculty of Advocates and a dog owner himself, appreciates the motivations behind Maurice Golden’s proposed bill, he considers that the offence is already covered by the common law on theft and that, although well intended, a separate offence, presumably with a maximum sentence of five years, would reduce the existing available sentencing range. Roddy Dunlop’s view is that, if sentences are not currently suitable, the independent Scottish Sentencing Council has the role of setting sentencing guidelines and ensuring consistency across the courts—taking into account other issues that the member has raised. I am not supporting that point; I am just raising it, together with other matters.