Pet thieves will feel the full force of the law, lord chancellor Robert Buckland has declared - with the Ministry of Justice, Home Office and Department for Food, Rural Affairs & Environment setting up a taskforce to investigate a reported surge in pet thefts.

The taskforce is part of wider measures to improve animal welfare standards that will be unveiled in the Queen’s speech tomorrow - including an Animal Sentience Bill that will enshrine animals’ feelings in law and draft legislation banning the import of hunting trophies and live animal exports.

Announcing the taskforce yesterday, the government said internet searches for ‘buy a puppy’ increased by 166% between March and August last year, and recent police investigations into dog theft resulted in numerous raids and arrests on suspicion of theft and animal cruelty.

Dog in park

A package of animal welfare measures is trailed ahead of the Queen's speech

Source: Thinkstock

Stealing a pet is an offence under the Theft Act 1968 and carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison. Those accused of causing an animal to suffer whilst the pet is being stolen could also be prosecuted under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The taskforce will gather evidence and explore claims that criminal enterprise is fuelling a reported rise in pet thefts and that the law dealing with theft where a pet is involved is ineffective.

Lord chancellor Robert Buckland said: ‘We are a nation of animal lovers and many of us have sought the companionship of pets during the pandemic, which makes the reported spike in thefts especially cruel and shocking many people. This taskforce will examine every option available to protect families from this appalling crime and make sure perpetrators feel the full force of the law.’

Environment secretary George Eustace told the Sunday Telegraph that tackling the pandemic was the government’s top priority, but ‘that doesn’t mean you have to stop work on every other front. How you treat animals, and the legislation you have to govern that, is a mark of a civilised society, and we should be constantly looking to improve and refine our legislation'.