The Irish Government should introduce harsher sentences for pet theft, in order to better reflect the emotional distress of having a pet stolen.
Pet theft is considered a serious crime by Gardaí and conviction can lead to a prison sentence of up to 10 years in prison at the very top end. However, the law considers a pet as similar to any other object stolen from its owner. There is no recognition of the fact that animals are often considered to be emotional “members of the family”. This is wrong.
A petition has been set up calling for a specific law dealing with pet theft, as now exists in the UK.
I discussed this on Newstalk Breakfast this week: you can listen at the link below.
Please note that I am unable to answer veterinary questions in comments. If you have questions or concerns about your pet's health it is always better to contact your vet.