Across the country individuals, families and communities are suffering from the escalating wave of dog theft. We are a renowned nation of dog lovers (24% of the UK adult population own a dog with an estimated 10.1 million pet dogs) and yet there are no laws in place to stop the sale of dogs via social media and other illicit means. 

If buying a dog was made much harder these thieves would not have a market.

Requirements:-

1) Re-instate the dog licence with tough penalties for non-compliance. (Even using the last known cost of a dog licence in 1987 that equivalent would be in excess of £300 million annually)

2) Stop social media advertising of live animals other than registered breeders.

3) Make it an offence to remove a microchip without official paperwork. All dogs should be scanned prior to a new vet consultation and any non registered chips or evidence of removed should be reported.

4) Link the microchip to the dog licence and the vet records.

5) Request that vets ask for more identification for new clients.

6) Support the campaigns for dog theft to be a serious crime...after all these thieves are stealing family members .....albeit furry ones. 

All of the dogs stolen are part of a family even if they are from a breeder and in many cases these dogs are support dogs for those with various disabilities.

The magnitude of this situation is highlighted by the amount of posts on social media and the huge number of groups set up purely to help find stolen dogs and return them to their families. 

Action needs to be taken as a matter of urgency as not only are dog owners afraid to walk their pets but many are afraid to leave their homes for fear of their pets being taken while they are out. This has to stop as it is causing huge distress to millions of families throughout the country when it can be prevented by the implementation of basic but profitable controlled compliance.