While pet theft has been a significant concern in the UK, Direct Line's latest research indicates a recent downward trend in dog thefts. In 2024, 1,808 dogs were stolen across the UK, which signifies a 21 per cent decrease compared to 2023, when 2,290 dogs were stolen.
The Pet Abduction Act came into effect in England and Northern Ireland in May 2024. This Act establishes pet abduction as a specific criminal offence, and offenders could face punishment of up to five years in prison, a fine, or both. The reduction in dog thefts observed may be an early indication that this new legislation is having a positive impact.
Although the recent decline in dog thefts is encouraging, according to Direct Line 61% of dog owners are worried about dog theft. In this article, I will be sharing the steps you can take to prevent your pet from being stolen, what you can do if your pet is lost or stolen and how to ensure you are covered by your pet insurance.
Most stolen dog breeds
According to research by Direct Line Pet Insurance, an estimated 5 dogs were stolen every day in 2024 and of those only 19% were returned to their owners. The table below shows the most frequently stolen breeds in 2024.
| Breed | Number of thefts in 2024 |
| French Bulldog | 51 |
| English Bulldog | 37 |
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier | 31 |
| Chihuahua | 26 |
| XL Bully | 19 |
| Labrador | 17 |
| German Shepherd | 16 |
| Rottweiler | 14 |
| Border Collie | 13 |
| Jack Russell | 11 |
(Source: Directline)
Most stolen cat breeds
There is limited data on cat theft as until the Pet Abduction Act came into force, theft of animals was not a specific crime and tended to be recorded as "theft of property" However an organisation called Pet Theft Awareness did produce a report from data gathered from police forces across the UK under the Freedom of Information Act in 2022. The "Cat Theft Report 2022" showed that Pedigree cats are a popular target for thieves, but as the table shows below Tabby cats are frequently stolen as they are often mistaken for Bengal cats which have a high value.
| Breed | Number of thefts in 2021 |
| Bengal | 33 |
| Tabby | 23 |
| British Short Hair | 14 |
| Maine Coon | 14 |
| Ragdoll | 7 |
(Source: The information is based on research carried out by the Pet Theft Awareness organisation from data gathered from police forces across the UK under the Freedom of Information Act.)
Why are pets stolen?
Pets can be stolen for a number of reasons, including:
- Stolen to be sold onto puppy farms and mills for breeding purposes
- Stolen to be sold on for cash - highly sought-after breeds can fetch high prices and be sold relatively quickly
- Stolen to be used as bait or fighting dogs
- Stolen to claim any reward the pet owners offer for the return of their pet
How to protect your pet against theft
Whilst you cannot guarantee that your pet will not be stolen, there are a variety of preventative measures you can do to protect your pet:
Do
- Microchip your pet and make sure that the registered details are kept up to date on a microchipping database such as petlog or PETtrac
- Spay and neuter your pet as this makes them less attractive to thieves as they are unable to be bred from and it also prevents your pet from roaming. It may also be wise to highlight this on the pet's I.D tag.
- Train your dog to come back to you off the lead
- Secure your home and garden to deter theft
- Take up-to-date photos of your pet that can be shared in the event your pet is lost or stolen
- Put a collar on your pet with an I.D tag that has your name and contact number
Don't
- Leave your pet unattended outside a shop or tied to a lamp post
- Leave your pet unattended in your garden for long periods of time or out of sight
- Let your dog off the lead if they are not sufficiently trained to come back
What to do if your pet is missing or stolen
If your pet is stolen you need to act immediately and follow these steps to increase your chances of being reunited with your pet:
- Report your pet as missing or stolen to local veterinary practices, charities and the local dog warden
- If you believe your pet has been stolen then report the crime to the police
- Report your pet as missing with the database that your pet's microchip is registered to such as petlog or PETtrac
- Report your pet as missing with websites such as DogLost, PetsReunited and the National Pet Register
- Make posters for your local area, including a picture and description of your pet (also describe any unusual markings) and a way for you to be contacted should your pet be found
- Share your pet as missing on social media and in local community groups
- Look for your pet in the local area at different times of day and night and look for places they may hide
What to look out for in your pet insurance
Some pet insurance policies cover your pet if it is lost and stolen but cover is not always included in your policy as standard, so it is important to check your pet insurance policy to ensure you are covered. If your pet insurance does not include loss and theft as standard, you may be able to pay a little more and add it as an optional extra.
It is also worth noting that some policies that offer lost and stolen pet cover also have a limit on the amount that they will pay out for your pet, which means that the original cost of your pet may not be covered in full. For example, some providers like Waggel and Scratch & Patch will pay a percentage contribution towards the purchase price of your pet and others such as The Insurance Emporium may pay a percentage based on the age of your pet when it went missing.
What is loss & theft cover?
Some pet insurance policies offer cover for your pet in the event that it is lost or stolen. This means that you can claim for the cost of your pet if your pet is not found or returned within a particular timeframe. The timeframe may be different depending on the provider you are with, for example, it is 60 days with Scratch & Patch, 45 days with Animal Friends and Waggel and 30 days with Tesco Pet Insurance and 28 days with The Insurance Emporium. Some pet insurance providers will also contribute towards the cost of advertising and offer a reward for your lost or stolen pet, however, they will usually not pay out for advertising or reward costs until your pet has been missing for at least 48 hours.
The amount of loss & theft cover you get with a pet insurance policy will vary by insurer but it is also important to know that the cover varies depending on the type of pet insurance policy you choose. In the next section, we look at the loss & theft cover available on lifetime, maximum benefit and time-limited pet insurance policies. We also provide a guide as to how much loss & theft cover you can expect for each policy type by looking at three of the top pet insurance providers. For more information on lifetime, maximum benefit and time-limited pet insurance policies, check out the following articles.
- Lifetime pet insurance explained
- Maximum benefit pet insurance explained
- Time-limited pet insurance explained
Lifetime pet insurance policies that cover for loss & theft
The following lifetime pet insurance policies are just some of the lifetime pet insurance providers that offer cover for theft and straying as well as advertising and reward costs as standard within the lifetime pet insurance policy. This should give you an idea of the level of cover you can expect if your pet is stolen or goes missing.
Most lifetime pet insurance providers offer loss and theft cover as standard, however some pet insurance providers such as Agria*and Petgevity (formerly Petsure)* have this as an optional extra so you'll have to pay more if you want it added to your policy. Always ensure you check your policy documents carefully so that you know exactly what is included in your policy. The below table compares the level of cover between the policies from a selection of pet insurance providers. How much cover you have depends on the lifetime pet insurance policy you choose.
| Animal Friends | Waggel | Tesco Pet Insurance | |
| Advertising & reward | Up to £200 on all their lifetime insurance policies | None | Up to £1,000 |
| Loss & Theft | Up to £3,000 (policy dependent) | Up to £1,000 | Up to £1,500 |
| More information | Animal Friends pet insurance review | Waggel pet insurance review | Tesco Pet Insurance review |
Maximum benefit pet insurance policies that cover for loss & theft
In the below table, we compare three maximum benefit pet insurance providers that offer loss and theft cover as standard within their maximum benefit pet insurance policies. The amount of cover you get for your pet varies depending on the age of your pet and the policy you choose with the provider.
| Animal Friends | The Insurance Emporium | Scratch & Patch | |
| Advertising & reward | Up to £200 | Up to £850 (policy dependent) | Included in the £1,000 loss and theft cover |
| Loss & Theft | Up to a maximum of £1,000 (policy dependent) | Up to £1,500 depending on the policy you choose and the age of your pet | Up to £1,000 depending on the age of your pet¹ |
| More information | Animal Friends pet insurance review | The Insurance Emporium pet insurance review |
¹Cover doesn't apply for dogs once they are 8 years old and cats once they are 10 years old
Time-limited pet insurance policies that cover for loss & theft
The following time-limited pet insurance policies offer loss and pet theft cover as well as advertising and reward cover as standard within the insurance premiums. The time-limited policy type you choose with the provider and the age of your pet may affect the level of cover you have.
| PDSA | Petplan | ||
| Advertising & reward | None | Up to £2,000 |
Up to £850 (policy dependent)
|
| Loss & Theft | £500 | Up to £3,000 |
Up to £1,500 depending on the policy type you choose and age of your pet
|
| More information | PDSA pet insurance review | Petplan pet insurance review |
How to buy pet insurance that covers loss and theft
If you are looking to purchase pet insurance that covers loss and theft you first need to decide which type of pet insurance is best for you. You can then easily compare multiple pet insurance policies via a comparison site such as MoneySuperMarket* to find the best policy for your pet. Remember though, not all comparison sites are whole of market and you may miss out on a better deal elsewhere or from an insurer that is not visible on comparison sites. You can compare some of the best pet insurance providers in our article, 'Best pet insurance providers in the UK'.
If a link has an * beside it this means that it is an affiliated link. If you go via the link, Money to the Masses may receive a small fee which helps keep Money to the Masses free to use. The following link can be used if you do not wish to help Money to the Masses or take advantage of any exclusive offers - MoneySuperMarket, Agria, Petgevity
