Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 02 October 2025 [Draft]
02 Oct 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
That is indeed true. My cat tells me what I should do, not the other way round. I try to tell her what to do, but she does not listen.
To be serious, and to return to the bill, many members have talked about data collection. We need to get that right, because we need to know what the scale of the problem is and how prevalent dog theft is.
Elena Whitham talked about the scale of the animal cruelty that is perpetrated in the context of domestic abuse. Although that might not be an issue for the bill, we need to record the fact that it happens. It forces people back into abusive relationships. We have all heard of animals being harmed or killed by an abuser in retaliation for someone leaving home. We need to ensure that it is known that that can happen. The fact that someone can abuse an animal is an indicator that they could be abusive to people as well. There is a read-across there.
It is true that post-legislative scrutiny is required, but I am not sure that committees have the capacity to do that.
The bill has a lot of support—it is supported by Dogs Trust, the Scottish SPCA, Blue Cross, Guide Dogs and many other organisations. We are obliged to get the bill right and to introduce better legislation in the next session of Parliament that will bring together all the legislation that we have in this area, so that it is comprehensive and covers all aspects.
16:31In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-19121, in the name of Maurice Golden, on the Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill at stage 1. Members who wish to pa...
Maurice Golden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I thank my team, as well as the parliamentary clerks and the additional member in charge of the bill, Christine Grahame. It is a privilege to stand here tod...
The Minister for Victims and Community Safety (Siobhian Brown)
SNP
I thank Maurice Golden for his constructive engagement on the bill and the non-Government bills unit for all its continuing work on it. I also thank the Rura...
Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
I am pleased to speak on behalf of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee about our stage 1 scrutiny of Maurice Golden’s Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill. Given th...
Jamie Halcro Johnston (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate, and I congratulate my friend Maurice Golden on his dedication and commitment to highlighting this important...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
I acknowledge the work that Maurice Golden has put into the bill. Dog theft causes heartbreak for owners. Not only that, but it can be expensive to buy a dog...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
I acknowledge the hard work and effort that Maurice Golden, his team and stakeholders have put into getting the bill to this stage. It is not to be underesti...
Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
SNP
I congratulate my colleague on his persistence in bringing forward the bill—I know what it takes. We have come a long way from when we, as the highest anima...
Finlay Carson
Con
Given Ms Grahame’s experience of dog legislation, why does she believe that the Government is reluctant for working dogs to be included in the bill?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I can give you the time back, Ms Grahame.
Christine Grahame
SNP
It is up to us to persuade the Government. I am sure that, between us and the member in charge of the bill, we might make progress. I just put that down as a...
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
What strange conversations we have when we are discussing a bill involving furry creatures—Jamie Halcro Johnston has just shown me a picture of his black cat...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Thank you, Ms Hamilton. I feel confident that Jamie Halcro Johnston will not be sharing any further pet details with you in the future. 16:13
Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
First, I congratulate Maurice Golden on getting his member’s bill this far. I know the hard work that it takes for a member and their team—dinnae forget the ...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to speak in support of the principles contained in the Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill, and I commend Maurice Golden for bringing it to this stage. Th...
Christine Grahame
SNP
Unfortunately for Richard Leonard, we have to look at the purpose of the bill. It is about dogs, so I am afraid that he cannot introduce another lot of anima...
Richard Leonard
Lab
Well, I have just said that we also need to listen to our constituents and what they are telling us. We can deal with that matter at stage 2, perhaps. The p...
Elena Whitham (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
SNP
I am speaking in support of the general principles of Maurice Golden’s Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill. In doing so, I will focus my remarks on whether to include ...
Rhoda Grant
Lab
It has been an interesting debate. It is good to see so much agreement around the chamber about how the bill is viewed. Richard Leonard said that it is about...
Finlay Carson
Con
Given Rhoda Grant’s position on the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee since the start of this parliamentary session, she will recognise that there were dis...
Rhoda Grant
Lab
Yes, I think that that is a really good idea. Committee time is heavily constrained, so it is difficult to see how that could otherwise be done. The lack of ...
Christine Grahame
SNP
As a cat lover, I want to correct what Rhoda Grant said. The saying is, “Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.”
Rhoda Grant
Lab
That is indeed true. My cat tells me what I should do, not the other way round. I try to tell her what to do, but she does not listen. To be serious, and to...
Sue Webber (Lothian) (Con)
Con
As a dog owner, I am pleased to close the debate for the Conservatives. Alfie makes my life complete. Since we brought him home in February three years ago, ...
Siobhian Brown
SNP
We are a nation of animal lovers, and many of our households have or look after animals. Whether it is a goldfish or a horse, animals play a major role in ou...
Christine Grahame
SNP
It is unfortunate that I did not remark on section 1(2) in my speech. That is a tricky section. As a former divorce lawyer, I assure members that parties wou...
Siobhian Brown
SNP
I am totally sympathetic to the concerns raised by Elena Whitham. I am unsure whether this is the right bill to deal with that, but the issue could, perhaps,...
Elena Whitham
SNP
I understand the narrow nature of a member’s bill, which, as the committee also suggested, might not be the right vehicle. However, although there are provis...
Siobhian Brown
SNP
I am happy to take that away and meet the member to discuss the issue further. It might be something that the expert advisory group could look at; perhaps we...
Maurice Golden
Con
I thank all members for their speeches. It has been a good debate. I welcome the level of engagement on the issue, and with the bill, from members across the...