This article was written to change the law on pet abduction.
The rise in pet thefts is high with a 194% increase in cat thefts between 2015 and 2020 and the total number of pet thefts involving dogs and puppies accounting for 70% of all cases. It has now become a major problem.
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WHAT IS THE CURRENT LAW ON PET ABDUCTION.
A law was passed in 1968 classifying pet theft as a crime only under the “theft law”. It actually means that your pet, a beloved member of the family, has been treated by the police and the courts as a “thing”. The criminal ‘could’ face a maximum of 7 years in prison if caught, but that full sentence was so rare it made kidnapping pets an easy crime, hence the rise arrow of the number.
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WHAT HAPPENED IN 2021 WITH THE PETITIONS TO CHANGE THE LAW?
Defra has announced new animal welfare bills under the overall umbrella of the Animal Welfare Bill giving stronger protections to animals raised in Britain, thus formally recognizing that animals are sentient beings. As part of the Animal Welfare Bill, and after 4 petitions, 3 debates in parliament and the creation by the government of a “Companion Animal Task Force”, it was announced that the pet kidnapping would finally be a separate crime with stiffer penalties. Your pet was no longer classified as people’s property – like furniture.
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WHY ARE PEOPLE ANGRY NOW?
On May 25, 2023, the Animal Welfare Bill was dropped by the government.
Suella Braverman, the secretary of state, said she wanted to proceed separately with elements of the bill such as ending exports of live animals for fattening and slaughter and cracking down on smuggling. of puppies, but no mention of making kidnapping of pets a criminal offense in its text. own right.
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WHY HAS THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT BEEN ABANDONED?
THE BBC spoke to Environment Minister Mark Spencer, who said “the measures of the Kept Animals Bill will now be implemented in a variety of ways! He didn’t explain what that meant.
He said: “He told MPs he had to drop the bill because Labor was going to ‘play political games.’ He didn’t explain what that meant!
However, as the BBC article explains, an animal charity accused the ministers of “astonishing betrayal”.
Claire Bass, senior director of the Humane Society International/UK, added that the bill ‘only needed a few extra hours in the House of Commons to pass,’ so parliamentary time is clearly not the real problem here.
Claire Bass added: “The real reason, Whitehall sources tell us, why the Bill has been dropped is fear that it could serve as a vehicle for uncomfortable debates which the Government does not want to have on issues polarizing such as hunting with dogs. »
As the RSPCA states, “we face the very real prospect of a dramatic downward spiral in animal welfare”. Most pet owners and animal advocates feel the same way.
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WHAT CAN WE DO NOW?
Another petition has been organized to keep the pressure on the government. You must sign here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/640101 if you answer yes or accept the following questions:
- My pet is not my property
- My pet is a precious member of my family unit
- Animals are sentient beings that should be respected and treated with kindness.
- We must protect animals and have their well-being at heart
- Animals aren’t just for us
- We share this planet with the animals and it’s not just about OUR needs
- animals matter
- Our pets matter
- Pet theft should be classified as a specific crime
- We will fight against this government to have the cause of animal welfare adopted.
I ACCEPT ALL ABOVE. WHERE SHOULD I SIGN?
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/640101
LINKS FOR MORE HELP
Stolen and Missing Animals Alliance (SAMPAuk): https://www.stolenandmissingpetsalliance.co.uk/
The veterinarians go to the scanner: https://vetsgetscanning.co.uk/
Searching for animals in the UK: https://www.animalsearchuk.co.uk/
Animals together: https://www.petsreunited.com/
Thanks for reading. Please share.
About this author:
Anita Kelsey holds a First Class Honors degree in Feline Behavior and Psychology (BA Hons work-based) and runs a veterinary referral service dedicated strictly to the diagnosis and treatment of behavioral problems in cats. She is also a qualified cat groomer and specializes in grooming aggressive or phobic cats. Anita writes for Your Cat Magazine and is on their panel of experts to answer readers’ questions about cat grooming. She also advises on feline behavior for the magazine CFBA (Canine and Feline Behaviour) and is a full member. Anita, a strong advocate of a vegan lifestyle, is based in London but consults across the UK as well as on international enquiries. She lives with her husband, a music producer, and two Norwegian forest cats, Kiki and Zaza.
His first bookClaws. Confessions of a Professional Cat Groomer‘ was published by John Blake in 2017 along with his second book, let’s talk about cats just released on Amazon in the US and UK.