A law changed in 2024 to protect dogs and cats as more than property. But has anything actually changed for the animals, and the families who lose them?
See the key numbersCat theft and abduction rose 14.2% in a year. Dog theft rose just 4.2% under the same law. Here's what changed among the police forces that supplied usable data.
Dog theft rose modestly under the new law. Cat theft rose much faster in the same window. Cat cases are also harder to prove: cats roam freely, so establishing criminal intent is difficult for investigators, which may be part of why just 0.9% of cat cases ended in a charge in 2025.
| Species | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dog crimes | 1,041 | 1,085 | +4.2% |
| Dogs stolen | 1,137 | 1,193 | +4.9% |
| Cat crimes | 408 | 466 | +14.2% |
| Cats stolen | 464 | 507 | +9.3% |
One in five (20%)* pet owners believe their pet is most likely to be taken from home, whilst half (51%)* think a public place, such as a park, carries the greater risk. The data shows the opposite.
Despite growing use of the Pet Abduction Act 2024, charge and recovery rates stayed low for both species in 2025.
Flip between them and see exactly where the patterns diverge.
| Rank | Force | 2024 | 2025 | Change | Rate / 100k (2025) |
|---|
The report demonstrates that the introduction of the Pet Abduction Act 2024 has failed to stop the rise in pet theft across the UK, and that the pattern of low criminal charges creates minimal deterrence for offenders. While a step in the right direction, the new law has not yet translated into meaningful improvements in enforcement or criminal justice outcomes.
This is the most complete UK-wide picture currently possible from police-recorded data, but real coverage gaps mean the true scale of pet theft is almost certainly higher than these figures show.
The legal framework now exists. The report's recommendations focus on the operational gap between legislation and enforcement.
A consistent UK-wide standard for offence type, breed, location, recovery status and outcome, so patterns and repeat offending become visible.
Clear guidance on when to use the new Act, including cases alongside burglary or robbery, with particular focus on cat-related offences.
Better intelligence sharing between forces and closer partnership with microchip databases and animal welfare organisations to improve recovery rates.
Fifteen weeks. That's the average gap since an owner last checked their pet's microchip details. Almost a third never check at all. One in five don't even know it's their job.*
It takes about two minutes to check.
Check your pet's microchip details