The UK’s leading dog welfare charity is welcoming a new law that makes pet theft a specific crime and comes into force tomorrow. From Saturday, anyone found guilty of stealing a dog in England or Northern Ireland will face up to five years in prison, a fine, or both. Previously, despite the distressing nature of having a dog stolen, pet theft has not been a specific crime and has instead been treated in the same way as the theft of household items such as phones and bikes. Under the new Pet Abduction Act, dogs and cats are no longer treated as inanimate objects but instead are recognised as se…
