The Pet Abduction Act 2024 (PAA) has recently come into force in  England and Northern Ireland but not in Wales or Scotland.

Animal welfare is devolved, and the Wales Government chose not to apply the PAA;  deciding to ‘prioritise resources to existing commitments for animal welfare’.

The Act creates an offence of dog and cat abduction and allows similar offences to be created for other animals kept as pets. Each offence carries a maximum prison sentence of 5 years.

This Bill recognises that dogs and cats are sentient beings. They are not mere property; animals and humans can, and do form emotional bonds and there is a devastating impact when animal abduction takes place, both on the people and on pets. This needs to be properly reflected in our criminal law.

A petition to the Senedd recently closed, and it is currently under consideration. However, we can continue to pressure for Pet theft to be taken seriously and for a more effective deterrent to be introduced.

So what can you do?

You can write to the Deputy First Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies email huw.Irranca-Davies@senedd.wales, who is responsible for this area, and also your Snededd Members.  You can find out for each consistency on the Welsh Government Website here.   Find a Member of the Senedd.  If you prefer to write here is the postal address.

Welsh Parliament, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, CF99 1SN

Below is some suggested wording you may want to use.

Thank you for your support.

Dear ………

Pets are family, their theft is a highly traumatic experience for their owner and creates great risk for the pet.  In England and Northern Ireland, pets are now recognised as the sentient individuals they are and penalties for theft can be severe.  Yet in Wales, pets are viewed simply as property with no recognition of the seriousness of them being stolen.   I urge you, without delay, to introduce a specific offence of pet theft in Wales, with proper deterrent penalties.    This is a matter of great importance to me.  Thank you.

 Signature

Name, Adress, Postcode.  

Annwyl ……..

Mae anifeiliaid anwes yn teulu. Pan maent yn cael ei ddwyn, mae’n profiad ofnadwy o trawmatig am ei perchennogion, ac mae’r risg yn un mawr i’r anifeiliaid eu hunain. Yn Lloegr a Gogledd Iwerddon, mae anifeiliaid anwes yn cael ei cydnabod fel yr unigolion teimladwy yr ydyn nhw, a mae’r cosb am ei ddwyn yn un difrifol. Ond, yng Nghymru, mae anifeiliaid anwes yn cael ei cydnabod fel eiddo, hefo ddim cydnabyddiaeth o’r ddifrifoldeb eu bod yn cael eu ddwyn.

Rwyn annog arnoch chi i cyflwyno trosedd penodol o ddwyn anifeiliaid anwes yng Nghymru heb oedi, hefo cosbau ataliol. Mae hwn yn fater pwysig iawn i fi.

Diolch.

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