A Kent MP has called for tougher sentencing for people who commit pet theft amid a rise in opportunistic pooch poaching during lockdown.

The issue was debated in the House of Commons this week after two public petitions calling for this "nasty crime" to be made a specific offence gained more than 260,000 signatures.

Dartford MP Gareth Johnson joined the Westminster Hall debate, where questions are posed directly to government ministers, to call for tougher sentencing for pet theft.

The Tory backbencher is a long term advocate of harsher penalties for the crime and previously accompanied campaigners from the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance (SAMPA) in presenting a petition to Number 10.

He told the debate: “I think everyone in this room would agree that pet theft is a particularly nasty offence.

"It is incredibly stressful for the owner and for the dog itself when it is stolen."

Mr Johnson believes the problem is linked to the current Sentencing Council guidelines and has called for their reform.

In 2016, he wrote to the body, which provides advice to judges, asking that it change the rules so that there was less emphasis placed on the value of the property that was stolen, in this case an animal.

The MP added: “It came back to me and said that the current guidelines were perfectly acceptable, and even mentioned the fact that pedigree dogs are very often worth more than £500, and therefore it was not necessary to change the guidelines."

But he continued, "that misses the whole point of this particular crime," adding he felt the existing guidelines made pet theft an attractive prospect for criminals.

He said: “The animals are stolen simply because the crime is low risk with a high reward. If someone knows they are not likely to be sent to prison because the value of the dog is less than £500, that is a very attractive crime to commit.

"That is why unfortunately we are seeing an increasing number of people carrying out the offence.

"It was happening before lockdown, and the numbers have shot up since because the value of dogs has gone up and there is an even greater reward, but with the same low risk for people carrying out these dastardly offences.”

In 2017, nearly 2,000 dogs were stolen in England and most were never returned to their owners with Kent recording the third highest number of reported dog thefts that year, according to the MP.

During lockdown the problem is thought to have worsened further with many people staying at home fuelling a demand for canine companions.

Last month Stolen dogs, a loaded shotgun and a machete are among the finds police have uncovered following a huge raid on a traveller camp.

On this point Mr Johnson likened the theft of an animal as being akin to losing a family member.

He said: "We have a specific offence of stealing a pedal cycle but not of stealing a member of your family.

"That cannot be right and therefore the sentencing council needs to reconsider this."

The Dartford MP commented that it was often difficult to get accurate facts and figures on the number of dog thefts due to them being reported as missing, adding when they are recorded as stolen it is often as a "chattel".

'We have a specific offence of stealing a pedal cycle but not of stealing a member of your family...'

Calls to make pet theft a specific criminal offence resurfaced in July but were rejected by ministers, who said it was covered by existing laws.

However, the circulation of an e-petition attracting more than 260,000 signatures has brought the issue to the fore again with MPs and campaigners calling for clarification to ensure pets are treated distinct from personal property.

During the debate Mr Johnson said that if the Sentencing Council is so "stubborn" that it will not change its guidelines, Parliament could step in and make it a specific offence to steal an animal, which the petition alludes to.

“If we did that, it would give the courts separate powers to impose the sentences that we all want to see for such a crime,” Mr Johnson said.

Mr Johnson urged the minister to act, adding: “I urge the minister to use her good offices to persuade the Sentencing Council on that, if that is possible.

"I am pleased that this is a cross-party interest and that we are at one on the issue. Hopefully, collectively, we can either get the Sentencing Council to see sense or this place needs to take action and bring in a specific offence of dog theft.”

Also last month, a family were reunited with their missing dog - four months after they believed she was stolen.

Cintia Gardner and her family were eating dinner when they spotted Honey, their golden cocker spaniel who had been missing since June, sitting by their back door in Meopham.

After the debate Mr Johnson said: “2020 is sadly the worst ever year we have had for dog theft. The increased value of dogs at this time has made it an attractive crime for the vile people who carry out this crime.

"Kent police have been proactive in tackling this offence, but we also need the sentencing guidelines to be changed so we can lock these people up more easily.”

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