Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Senedd candidate, Cllr Samuel Kurtz, has raised concerns over the shocking increase of dog thefts.
Dyfed Powys Police and South Wales Police have made arrests and recovered up to 80 suspected stolen dogs from multiple addresses in January and the Welsh Conservative candidate is urging dog owners to be vigilant to help the police.
There have also been reports that dog thieves have impersonated RSPCA workers to take dogs under the pretence of investigating their welfare.
In a recent interview, the Home Secretary, Priti Patel MP said she was “building up” the case for making pet theft into a serious offence and looking into what kind of measures can be put in place in terms of criminality.
Advice on putting preventative measures in place to stop pet theft can be found on the RSCPA website here: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/theft.
Commenting, Cllr Samuel Kurtz said: "The alarming increase in dog and pet thefts is incredibly worrying. For many, pets are part of the family and provide comfort and companionship.
"I'm thankful to the local police for their hard work and efforts on this issue and I'm committed to working with them to tackle this increase.
"I urge all dog and pet owners to be vigilant. As a dog owner myself, we can all help the police by keeping our eyes and ears open and reporting any suspicious activity or behaviour to the police by calling 101."
