Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston hopes local people will join him in backing the introduction of a new law to tackle the growing problem of dog theft.
Scottish Conservative MSP Maurice Golden is introducing a bill to the Scottish Parliament which seeks to make stealing dogs a specific crime, ensuring thieves are punished because of the harm they cause to the dog and not just because the dog has a monetary value.
Mr Halcro Johnston is urging local people to show support for his colleague’s bill by signing a petition demanding action.
He said: “Dogs are helpers, companions and parts of the family for many people. They are an integral part of the many households, and their loss is felt deeply.
“So I am sure most people would find it strange, as I do, that a dog has no more status in law than a mobile phone. That can’t be right.
“And for the dogs themselves, being abducted from their homes is often an immensely traumatic and distressing experience, just as it is for their owners.
“They deserve better protection from the law, and I hope to see the introduction of this new bill which raises the sentences available to the courts for dog theft.
“People can show their support for that by signing the petition. The more people who sign, the more likely we are to win support in the Scottish Parliament for action.”
The petition can be accessed at www.change.org/p/make-dog-theft-a-crime
