Meeting of the Parliament 02 October 2025 [Draft]
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 animal species, failed to recognise that animals are sentient beings, although dogs throughout the centuries could attest to the fact that the similarity between the words “dog” and “friend” is by no means an accident.
My late Irish setter, Roostie, was my best comfort when times were tough. She taught my sons much about being respectful to animals and, as she toasted herself by the fire, she let them use her as a pillow. I miss her to this day.
I note that the bill has been introduced in the context of a rise in the levels of dog theft since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, when demand far outstretched supply and there was growing evidence of systematic dog theft through organised crime. I thoroughly agree with dog theft being a stand-alone offence and, indeed, with there being a statutory aggravation if the theft is of an assistance dog, although I would include working dogs in that, and I note that the committee was of the same view.
I met the issue about the definition of working dogs during the passage of the Welfare of Dogs (Scotland) Bill, but I am certain that that issue is not insurmountable, because we all know a working dog when we see one. I notice that the purpose of the bill is, inter alia,
“to create an offence of dog theft”
and
“to provide for a statutory aggravation of that offence”.
There is nothing to prohibit the inclusion of working dogs in that purpose. I was minded to propose that at stage 2, but I think that other members will do so before I get to the starting gate. I remind members that, if that requires additional evidence, that can be taken at stage 2. It would mean adding a new section, but, as I have said, it would be competent within the purpose of the bill.
We know what a pet dog is, we know what an assistance dog is and we should know what a working dog is. Those are dogs that are bred and trained for a specific purpose and that perform tasks to assist humans in various roles. They possess key traits, such as intelligence, loyalty and alertness. They require consistent training and care to thrive in their roles. They include sheep dogs, sniffer dogs for drugs and explosives, cadaver dogs to detect buried corpses, and dogs that are trained to locate the living. Although they have an added value, for reasons that members will understand, I suspect that stealing a police dog might be a bit of a challenge for a thief.