Dog theft crime: figures show the most stolen dog breed in the West Midlands

Fewer than 1% of dog thefts reported in the UK last year have so far resulted in criminal charges, an exclusive investigation by the publishers of BirminghamWorld shows.

The Kennel Club described the figure as “really disappointing” but police chiefs said it was often hard to identify suspects. Campaigners also fear the government is backtracking on a heavily-publicised crackdown which would increase jail terms for dog thieves, with the RSPCA saying it is “increasingly worried” it could be dropped.

Ministers had announced plans in 2021 to make dog abduction a specific offence punishable by up to five years in jail, through the Kept Animals Bill. But this hasn’t yet become law and campaigners say they fear the government will drop the idea.

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: “It was really welcome that the UK government announced plans to make pet theft a specific offence under its Kept Animals Bill - offering more assurances to owners. However, the legislation has been in limbo for 500 days - and we’re increasingly worried these plans could be dropped altogether.”

How many dog thefts have resulted in charges?

The publishers of BirminghamWorld sent Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to the UK’s 45 police forces, receiving responses from 33 of them.

The results show more than 1,600 dog thefts were reported in 2022, with more than 1,700 individual dogs stolen - although with a quarter of forces failing to respond, the figure will likely be higher.

Of the crimes where police provided an investigation status, just 14 (0.9%) had so far resulted in someone being charged or sent a court summons.

This includes crimes still under investigation, so the charge rate will likely end up slightly higher, but of the thefts reported in 2021, the number resulting in charges so far is still below 2%.

What is the most stolen dog breed in the West Midlands?

The figures reveal that the most stolen dog breed in the West Midlands in 2022 was the Bulldog and American bulldog. And in 2021, the most stolen breed was a tie between the Bichon Frise, Cane Corso and Staffordshire bull terrier.

The figures also show the number of dog thefts in our region. In 2022, West Midlands Police received 124 dog theft reports. Just 2 of these resulted in a charge or summons. And the year before, in 2021, the force received 122 dog theft reports with 4 of those incidents resulting in a charge or summons.

Debbie Matthews, co-founder of the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance (SAMPA), said the low charge rate throughout the UK showed why it was so important for dog abduction to be made a specific crime.

She said: “The prosecution rate is so low because dogs are still categorised as ‘property’ in law, the same as a laptop. Property theft is low priority to the police and the Sentencing Council; our dogs in law are merely second-hand goods valued under £500.

“This is precisely why we at SAMPA and the public have campaigned so hard to get a specific crime for dog theft. Our pets are members of our families and the law must reflect this.”

Dr Ed Hayes, head of public affairs at The Kennel Club, said: “It’s really disappointing to hear such a low rate in prosecutions.” But he said the nature of dog thefts meant “it can be very challenging to identify suspects, especially in case of dogs being stolen from gardens, parks and open spaces, where thieves may be out of sight from owners”.

A spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs’ Council added: “In cases like this, investigators often face difficulties in identifying suspects and obtaining evidence, which can make seeking prosecutions difficult.

“We recognise, however, that there is a huge emotional impact on families who have their much-loved pet stolen from them. We investigate every such crime reported to us and work with partners such as RSPCA to ensure criminals feel the full weight of the law. By targeting prolific offenders, and organised crime networks, we are able to stop these offences from happening in the first place.”

Dog thefts falling after spike during pandemic

The overall number of dog thefts across the UK fell by 15% last year, compared with the year before, our investigation found.

Ms Matthews said the price of puppies had soared to around £3,000 during the pandemic as people rushed to buy four-legged lockdown companions, which in turn had led to a spike in thefts.