Torbay MP Kevin Foster has joined calls for cats to be included in any new pet theft offence.
Current proposals for a pet abduction offence only extend to dogs and All-Party Group on Cats (APGOCATS) is calling for cats to also be protected. They held a drop in event at the House of Commons this week to gather support from MPs for this move. The event also provided a chance to discuss cat theft with animal welfare charities and campaigners including Cats Protection.
Cases of recorded cat theft have reached an all-time high according to data from Pet Theft Awareness. The Cat Theft report 2022 has found that, in 2021, the number of cases has increased an astonishing 40% since 2020 and quadrupled since 2015.
Kevin Foster MP said: “Having a cat stolen is more like losing a member of the family than the theft of a physical possession. It is therefore vital this is recognised in any new pet abduction offence.”
Charlotte Broad, Advocacy and Government Relations Officer for Cats Protection added: “We know that 90% of cat owners see their pet as part of the family; so a decision to exclude cats from any new offence would be of extreme concern to Cats Protection and the millions of cat owners across the country. Cats Protection are delighted that so many parliamentarians have spoken up for cats on this important issue.”
