February 27, 2025 | Incident and Crime Statistics , Wildlife and Animal Welfare
Request Number: F-013474
Category: Incident and Crime Statistics - Wildlife
Subject: Dog Theft 2024
Request and Answer: Your request for information has now been considered. In respect of Section 1(1)(a) of the Act we can confirm that the Police Service of Northern Ireland does hold information to which your request relates. The decision has been taken to disclose the following.
Request 1
How, if at all, has the process for recording stolen dogs (under the Theft Act) to abducted dogs (under the Pet Abduction Act) changed in 2024?
Answer
PSNI has no record of any new offence codes have been created following the introduction of the Pet Abduction Act.
Note
However, it should be noted that any property described as a ‘dog’ can be classified as stolen as part of any acquisitive crime. Therefore PSNI’s response will always be on the basis of all recorded burglary, robbery andtheft offences (unless otherwise requested).
Request 2
What were the total number of dog theft crimes in 2024 (monthly breakdown if possible)?
Answer
See table below:
| Month | Quantity |
|---|---|
| January | 2 |
| February | 2 |
| March | 0 |
| April | 2 |
| May | 0 |
| June | 0 |
| July | 3 |
| August | 1 |
| September | 1 |
| October | 2 |
| November | 0 |
| December | 0 |
| 2024 Total | 13 |
Request 3
What was the outcome (charge/summons, community resolution, active investigation, evidential difficulties, no suspect identified) for each dog theft crime in 2024?
Answer
See table below:
| Currently Assigned Outcome | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Charge/Summons | 2 |
| Community Resolution Notice | 1 |
| Evidential Difficulties | 5 |
| Investigation Complete - No Suspect | 5 |
| 2024 Total | 13 |
Request 4
How many dogs were listed with each dog theft crime in 2024?
Request 5
If this question doesn't take us beyond the time required for free FOI feedback, can details about stolen dog breed, gender, age, and location of theft (walk, home, garden, outside shop, from car etc) also be provided for 2024 please?
Answer for 4 and 5
Please note in accordance with ICO guidelines, a Public Authority is not obliged to search for, or compile some of the requested information before refusing a request that it estimates will exceed the appropriate limit.
On this occasion we can provide the data within the 18 hour cost limit.
Please see below from either the Property description / common name/ remarks records the breed of dogs.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
German Shepherd
Collie
French Bulldog
Bulldog
St Bernese
Whippet
Border Collie
Terrier Type dog
Chihuahua
Schnauzer
Labrador Retriever
Pocket Bulldog
The location of all 13 incidents where dwellings.
This information is manually input and therefore this should allow for any human error.
Request 6
If this question doesn't take us beyond the time required for free FOI feedback, can postcode of recorded crime and CRN be included?
Answer
Please see table below:-
| postcode Area | Quantity |
|---|---|
| BT6 | 2 |
| BT13 | 1 |
| BT15 | 1 |
| BT24 | 1 |
| BT33 | 1 |
| BT34 | 2 |
| BT48 | 1 |
| BT70 | 1 |
| BT71 | 1 |
| BT78 | 2 |
| 2024 Total | 13 |
Notes
For Requests 2-6, the above tables are based on all recorded burglary, robbery and theft offences where property described as ‘Dog’ was classified as ‘Stolen’, in Northern Ireland, during 2024.
Location data is based on the location field, and the postcode area is based on the offences occurrence address. The currently assigned outcome may be updated as investigations are completed or new information becomes available.
Please Note: This information is based on data extracted from a live system, and may be subject to change. It is dependent on the information having been input into the system in such a way as to identify those records that are relevant.