I have written an Open Letter to Boris Johnson and 10 Downing Street regarding the rapidly rising numbers of dog theft occurrences in the UK.  My name is Kelly, I am twenty-eight years old and I have a gorgeous pup called @captaincottonthebichon. 

I am part of a large, active Instagram community and have spent the last three months heavily engaging with dog owners all over the UK. It has become overwhelmingly clear that the current levels of dog theft is now not only a national crisis that requires urgent government intervention, but is also a subject having a deeply profound effect on the mental health of dog owners and in particular, the women of our country.

There has already been an overwhelming outcry from the dog-owner community to change the laws surrounding dog-theft. You will have seen the petition ‘Make dog theft a specific criminal offence’ which has already received over 200,000 signatures, calling for dog theft to be a specific crime in its own right with a minimum prison sentence and a financial penalty for any offender. The Governments response to this petition is that dog-theft is considered a crime as part of a wider criminal act (The Theft Act 1968) and that the legislative tools currently in place are considered to be “robust and proportionate”. I firmly reject this view. Dog theft occurrences are rising and they are rising fast, so it is evident that the current laws are not stringent enough to discourage the crime, nor are they reflective of the fact that dogs are family members and lifelines to many.

The government SHOULD make dog theft a specific crime with clear and consistent consequences, increasing the financial penalty and the maximum prison sentence irrespective of the criminals intentions. 

The government should also look to regulate the sale of dogs in this country, considering a major clamp-down allowing for any legitimate breeders to advertise through specific and trusted channels, with together vetting procedures and capped pricing.

Lastly, the government should work closely with local authorities to make our local parks and dog walking areas safer. Surveillance should be increased within our communities whether this be videography or a physical presence to protect our animals and to make our people feel safer.

The COVID-19 pandemic has already caused an immeasurable amount of pain and suffering for so many and has taken a tremendous toll on everybody’s mental health and wellbeing. The current dog-theft crisis is only adding to this, as well as discouraging people from exercising. If there are no changes, dog theft occurrences will continue to rise and more families will become victims of this heartbreaking crime. 

Thanks for listening, please do sign.

Kelly