Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, spoke in a debate on the issue of pet theft, especially in relation to the recent lockdowns the UK has faced as well as a wider approach to animal welfare. Cases of pet theft dramatically increased during the UK’s national lockdown, which spurred a petition signed by hundreds of thousands to call on the government to recognise the emotional impact of losing a pet instead of just the financial impact.

Campaigners are calling for clarification on the status of pets being classed as property in theft cases, which allows them to be compared to the theft of laptops other personal

Luke said this:

“The government’s tendency to split up animal welfare legislation into individual chunks is great for headlines, but not great for dealing with this issue. This is why I support the overarching idea of a animal welfare bill.

 

I hope the government considers the public calls to help those who have lost beloved pets, and I encourage those who have to contact the proper authority and be reunited with your pets.”