Ministers have yet to confirm what sort of penalties those convicted of pet abduction could face but said the new offence would prioritise the welfare of pets as sentient beings and recognise the distress to the animal in addition to its owner.

He said: “Pet theft can leave families in utter turmoil and have serious welfare implications for animals ripped away from everything they know.“The new Pet Abduction Offence will acknowledge the seriousness of this crime and we hope will encourage courts to hand down much tougher sentences to pet thieves,” he added.