Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 2:23 pm on 15 September 2021.
The theft of pets is obviously a criminal act, and it is a reserved matter, as you say, under the Theft Act 1968. You'll be aware, I'm sure, of the pet theft taskforce that DEFRA have brought forward, so my officials have been working very closely with their counterparts in DEFRA to make sure that we can collaborate. I think we have certainly seen more cases of pet theft during the pandemic. I've got a member of my own family that's increased security at their home because of their concerns around pet theft, so I think it is really important that we continue to work collaboratively with DEFRA.