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Last modified on Mon 10 May 2021 04.07 EDT
A taskforce has been set up by the government to look into tackling the “deplorable” crime of pet theft, which has soared during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In March, DogLost, a UK charity that helps victims of dog theft, recorded a 170% increase in the crime, from 172 dogs reported stolen in 2019 to 465 in 2020.
The taskforce will look into what is contributing to the rise in dognapping, and recommend solutions to tackle the problem. It will be made up of officials from the Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs, the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice as well as the police, seeking input from animal welfare groups and experts.
Lucy, 13, and Milly, 11, were stolen from their kennel in Kent between midnight and 1.15am on Saturday, April 24. But their owner fears they will be dumped due to their age.
Share To me it seems likely that her theft was the work of an organised crime group, Cintia said.
When the family bought honey two years ago, the family paid £550. Now the same breeder is charging £2,500 for pups.
Cintia said she s hoping her four-year-old will forget Honey being taken and the theft has impacted her entire family
How lockdown has triggered a spike in dog thefts
Demand for dogs during the Covid-19 crisis has triggered a reported 170 per cent rise in thefts across the country in the past year, with some breeds fetching up to £4,000 each – four times their pre-pandemic price.