Catnapping soars by 40% as pet lovers demand more protection from Government

Catnapping soars by 40% as pet lovers demand more protection from Government

It comes as campaigners are calling for cats to be included in a new criminal offence aimed at cracking down on dog thefts in the Kept Animals Bill.Cats are family too and we will continue to campaign to have them included in this new Pet Abduction offence.

Unloved pup becomes Police sniffer dog helping out at crime scenes

Unloved pup becomes Police sniffer dog helping out at crime scenes

Bella was just a 20-week-old pup when she was found living in the back of a van (Picture: Triangle News)RSPCA Kent Chief Inspector Nick Wheelhouse said: ‘We were called to an address by Police and discovered three dogs living in the back of a van in completely inappropriate conditions.

Pet thieves face strict new laws in crackdown on stolen lockdown dogs

Pet thieves face strict new laws in crackdown on stolen lockdown dogs

Dog owners may also be invited to register their dogs with local police forces to make them easier tot track if they are stolen (Picture: Getty Images)The report concludes: ‘There is growing public feeling that criminal law and the sentencing for offences involving the theft of pets do not sufficiently recognise an animal as something more than mere property.

UK to crack down on dognappers with new pet abduction offence

UK to crack down on dognappers with new pet abduction offence

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.

Prison for pet thieves as dognapping to be made criminal offence

Prison for pet thieves as dognapping to be made criminal offence

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.

Dog theft law gets more bite with new ‘pet abduction’ offence

Dog theft law gets more bite with new ‘pet abduction’ offence

As demand for pets grew with people forced to spend more time at home during the pandemic, the cost of dogs and cats rose sharply, and soon organised crime groups were coordinating pet thefts to exploit the inflated prices.

If your dog goes for my sheep, then I will shoot, UK farmers warn walkers

If your dog goes for my sheep, then I will shoot, UK farmers warn walkers

Farmers are warning that attacks on livestock by dogs are reaching “epidemic proportions” as they brace themselves for a surge in dog attacks heading into peak lambing season.The start of lambing season has been fraught for farmer Gordon Wyeth due to attacks on his sheep by pet dogs.

Dog owners scared to walk their pets amid 170% surge in thefts

Dog owners scared to walk their pets amid 170% surge in thefts

Ms Bourne said: ‘Police forces across the country need a ‘flag’ for reports of dog theft on their systems as currently it is extremely difficult to track this crime trend and put in place an appropriate police response.

Dog owners scared to walk their pets due to rise of kidnappings in lockdown

Dog owners scared to walk their pets due to rise of kidnappings in lockdown

Dr Daniel Allen, an Animal Geographer at Keele University, who set up the Pet Theft Reform campaign with the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance in 2018, said: “The number of survey responses shows the extent to which the public are concerned about dog theft crime.

As dog thefts soar, owners and charities call for tougher penalties

As dog thefts soar, owners and charities call for tougher penalties

The survey, by the police and crime commissioner for Sussex, Katy Bourne, had nearly 125,000 responses and she said the “huge” response showed widespread fear among dog owners about pet theft and a lack of confidence that the crime is taken seriously by police.

Dog theft specialist officer appointed as cases surge

Dog theft specialist officer appointed as cases surge

Nottinghamshire Police said there is ‘growing alarm over the threat of dog theft’ as they revealed the new role following warnings from charities.

Helena Bonham Carter and Greg Davies bundle up for dog walk together

Helena Bonham Carter and Greg Davies bundle up for dog walk together

Helena and Greg bundled up for their outing (Picture: GC Images) Both appeared to be in good spirits as they walked their pet pooches (Picture: GC Images)Also starring in the series alongside both Greg and Helena are David Mitchell, Stephanie Cole, Donald Slumpter and Shobu Kapoor.

Beware of social media: warning for UK dog owners as thefts rise

Beware of social media: warning for UK dog owners as thefts rise

Dog owners should be wary of posting pictures of their pet on social media and leaving them unattended outside shops, police have warned, amid a rising number of dog thefts in the UK.Last year, there was a boom in what were labelled “pandemic puppies” as people stuck at home during lockdown acquired pets to lift their spirits .

Guilty dog is caught in the act by owner after destroying cushions

Guilty dog is caught in the act by owner after destroying cushions

But when David Videcette found his living room covered in cushion stuffing, he didn’t have to try too hard to fins the culprit – his very guilty looking dog.

My dog was stolen two years ago but I haven’t given up hope of finding her

My dog was stolen two years ago but I haven’t given up hope of finding her

We paid £450 for Willow in 2016 but I’ve seen numerous alerts for dogs like her going for up to £2,500 (Picture: Freya Woodhall)The weeks after Willow’s disappearance were heartbreaking.

Hot dogs: what soaring puppy thefts tell us about Britain today

Hot dogs: what soaring puppy thefts tell us about Britain today

Photograph: Suffolk Police Annie and Betsy – and the other dogs stolen that day, 13 of which were puppies – had become the latest victims of surging demand for canine pets.

Wildleaks: New Whistleblowing Website Aims to Cut Wildlife Crime

Wildleaks: New Whistleblowing Website Aims to Cut Wildlife Crime

While some of the most egregious crimes against wildlife are committed abroad against elephants, rhinos, and tigers, the fact that animal products can fetch lucrative prices, often right here in the United States, contributes to the problem.

Sneaky pug locks owner out of her car

Sneaky pug locks owner out of her car

Pete the pug is one of the more mischievous of the species, which was particularly notable when he locked his owner out of her car. One’s thing for sure: Maria will not be leaving Pete unattended again any time soon.

Wanted, playing dead or alive: the sniffer dog with a bounty on his head

Wanted, playing dead or alive: the sniffer dog with a bounty on his head

Scamp the spaniel is so good at finding illegal tobacco, crime groups have offered a £25,000 reward for his capture Name: Scamp. I’m sure he could learn to detect those things, but Scamp’s speciality is sniffing out tobacco.

Thieves steal 11 French bulldogs, wad of cash and Mercedes from home

Thieves steal 11 French bulldogs, wad of cash and Mercedes from home

The French bulldogs were stolen during a raid on January 4 (Picture: Wales news service) South Wales Police covering the area of Bridgend and Vale of Glamorgan said the raid took place in Barry, Wales, at around 9am.