Professional pet detective Robert Kenny said the theft showed how people would go to extreme lengths to get their hands on valuable animals like Darius, a continental giant rabbit.

When we opted for lifetime cover, the site came up with 53 policies ranging in price from £9.97 a month with the insurer Animal Friends to £74.21 with Asda Money.

Sangha, the Tailster chief executive, said said the company was aiming to consolidate a fragmented market: “Not only do the team at Pets at Home share our vision about how we can bring our services to UK pet owners and drive the growth of our business, but they also share many of our values of putting pets first, and the customer at the heart of what we do.”.