South Scotland MSP Brian Whittle is throwing his support behind plans by his colleague Maurice Golden MSP to make dog theft a specific crime with tougher punishments.
Mr Golden has launched a consultation on his proposed Members’ Bill, which hopes to introduce harsher penalties for those convicted and act as a deterrent to reduce the number of dogs stolen each year.
The bill has the support of major animal welfare charities, who estimate that dog thefts may have risen by as much as 170% during lockdown.
The consultation will run for until 16th January 2023 and Brian’s urging people across South Scotland to submit their views ahead of the bill progressing in the Scottish Parliament.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“As someone who’s had dogs for much of their life, I know how important they can be to people.
While dogs were a great comfort to many people during the pandemic, they also became a greater target for thieves looking to turn a profit.
The loss of a dog can be an incredibly painful experience but all too often, even when the thief is caught, their punishment doesn’t recognise how much an owner has suffered.
Many of us see our dogs as a member of the family, but currently the law treats them as any other household item.
This legislation gives us the chance to change that, and I hope people will lend their support to this bill and contribute to the consultation process.”
More information about the bill, and details of how to contribute to the consultation can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/proposals-for-bills/proposed-dog-abduction-scotland-bill
