€150k 32 Dog Theft Underscores Need For Tougher Sentencing - Tóibín
Aontú Leader & Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín has cited the Gardaí seizure of 32 stolen dogs worth over €150k, as underscoring the need for tougher sentencing for theft of a family pet provided for in the Aontú Pet Theft Bill.
Tóibín: “The scourge of animal theft is one all too common in modern day Ireland. Indeed, when we published the Bill, the outpouring of support from across the country was astounding. The seizure by Gardaí of 32 stolen dogs worth over €150k and four horses in Baldoyle, shows that pet theft is not going away and is becoming a viable criminal enterprise for many criminals across the country. Many of the stolen dogs were pregnant, and criminals use their pups to maximise the profits of their threat.”
“Many are sold online or in cash only deals to make Garda investigation more difficult. There are several credible reports of these stolen pets being quickly ferried to Britain when stolen, with stolen pets sold for thousands of pounds with no questions asked. Gardaí are doing the work of trying to investigate and break up these criminal enterprises, but now the law needs to step up. The DSPCA and Dogs Trust who have both supported our bill, are doing the work of caring for stolen, abandoned and lost dogs – but we as politicians need to step up and aid their work.”
“That is why I am re-iterating my call for all political parties in the Dáil to support the Aontú pet theft pill, and begin to end the scourge of pet theft in this country.”
