A Senedd member warned Wales risks falling behind the rest of the UK on tackling pet abduction after ministers rejected calls to create a specific criminal offence.
Carolyn Thomas called for a pet abduction bill to make stealing a pet a specific offence and bring Wales into line with other parts of the UK.
She said: “Pets are part of the family: they help grow love and compassion, they combat loneliness and mental health issues, and keep us healthy and active. Pets are not inanimate objects like a stolen wallet.”
She pointed out that the Pet Abduction Act came into force in England and Northern Ireland in August, with similar legislation being brought forward in Scotland.
Ms Thomas, a Labour backbencher who represents North Wales, said: “If we do not follow suit, Wales is in danger of being left behind.”
The former deputy leader of Flintshire council warned that the existing Theft Act, which is relied on in Wales, is not a strong enough deterrent.
Leading a debate on her proposal on January 8, Ms Thomas explained that police would be required to keep records to help determine the scale of the problem.
She said: “The instances of cat theft have quadrupled since 2015, and Cats Protection believe that legislation is desperately needed to curb this increase fuelled by the rising price of kittens.”
Rhys ab Owen, a former barrister who sits as an independent, was against the proposal, arguing the current law is adequate and effective.
He said the starting point, under current guidelines, is two years’ imprisonment up to a maximum sentence of seven years.
Ms Thomas highlighted the case of gang members, who stole 16 cavalier king Charles spaniels – including a pregnant one – yet only received suspended sentences.
Huw Irranca-Davies, Wales’ rural affairs secretary responsible for animal welfare, acknowledged that pet abduction can cause a great deal of distress, but said a pet abduction bill is not currently a priority for the Welsh Government, given the legal protections already in place.
Senedd members backed the motion, 31-0, but the proposal is unlikely to proceed without the support of ministers who abstained in the non-binding vote.