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Beloved family pets are being treated like 'money-making objects' by thieves who snatch them from their owners, with even old cats and dogs at risk.
This week a video emerged of an Amazon driver brazenly scooping up a family cat while he was delivering a package after he 'took a shine' to the animal.
However, while many were left outraged, others were confused as to why anyone would want to steal a family pet who is seemingly of no monetary value.
The cat has since been returned home, and police say they are investigating the theft, but animal theft continues to be a worry for pet owners.
Dog snatchers regularly target puppies and litters, selling them on for inflated prices or use them for illegal breeding. And while, dogs are most common pet to be stolen, cats, especially pedigree cats like Bengals and Maine Coons, can also be sold for huge amounts of money.
This has only been heightened by the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw a massive surge in demand for pets, highlighting it as a way for criminals to make a lot of money.
But it is not just puppies and kittens being taken; older dogs and cats who some may see as being 'worthless' are also being taken.
Older animals can still be used by illegal breeders, if they are unneutered or unspayed, to be able to produce more puppies to then sell. They are also stolen to hold families to ransom or to be used as bait to train dogs to fight.
Doorbell footage shows a man wearing a high-vis jacket picking up the cat close to a property in Elland, near Halifax, West Yorkshire, on Sunday afternoon
The family's cat Nora has since been returned home, and police say they are investigating the theft
In some instances, older and more well-trained pets can be easier to lure and steal, making them easier targets.
Family pets can be stolen for ransom, with thieves assuming devastated owners will cough up large amounts of money for their safe return.
Dog fighting is another motive behind the theft of elderly dogs and cats as they are used as bait to train other dogs and test their fighting instinct.
Since 2020, there has been a 34 per cent increase in dog fights. In 2023, the RSPCA recorded 560 incidents of organised dog fights, an increase from the 418 incidents recorded in 2020.
Dr Daniel Allen, founder of Pet Theft Reform and animal geographer at Keele University, said: 'People don’t abduct pets to love them. They use them, abuse them, and treat them like money-making objects.
'Most will be sold on to unsuspecting families or exchanged for ransom or reward. Others may experience the cruelties of illegal puppy farming or dog fighting.
'For the families who are searching, not knowing the whereabouts and welfare of abducted pets is a traumatic experience.
'Pet abduction is a cruel and devastating crime for people and pets.'
He added that most dogs are taken from homes or gardens so urged owners to ensure their 'properties are secure'.
'The same goes for public spaces – do not leave dogs unattended and keep them close or secure on a lead when walking,' he continued.
In May 2024, the Pet Abduction Act came into effect making pet theft a criminal offence in England and Northern Ireland
The crime is punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine, or both.
'Police now need the resources and commitment to investigate pet abduction thoroughly, catch the thieves, and ensure prosecutions,' Dr Daniel Allen said.
'Without strong enforcement, pet abduction remains a low-risk, high-reward crime – and families and animals continue to suffer.'
The main advice from RSCPA to protect your pets from being stolen is by having them neutered, ensuring they are microchipped with up-to-date contact details registered and making sure dogs wear a collar with contact details embroidered or an engraved ID tag.
Earlier this week, an Amazon delivery driver was caught on camera picking up a family cat while he was delivering a package and walking off with it.
Doorbell footage shows a man wearing a high-vis jacket bending down close to the front door of the property in Elland, near Halifax, West Yorkshire, on Sunday afternoon.
As he stands up, a small dark-coloured cat can be seen in the man's right hand and the delivery driver then makes his way back towards his car before disappearing from view.
Owner Carl Crowther said he was left in 'total shock and disbelief' when he discovered Nora missing and reviewed footage taken by his doorbell camera.
Annabel Berdy, senior advocacy and government relations officer for Cats Protection, said: 'We were so relieved to hear about Nora’s safe return.
'No matter what the animal, pet abduction is a particularly abhorrent crime, leaving owners devastated and pets at high risk of mistreatment. '
She added that more than half of stolen cats in past 12 months were pedigree.
'These unscrupulous sellers will be looking to profit either by selling stolen cats to unsuspecting buyers, or keeping them to breed kittens for onward sale,' Ms Berdy added.
'Clearly, we are incredibly concerned about the welfare of these cats and kittens and we expect anyone who abducts pets to feel the full weight of the law.'
Another devastated family are searching for their beloved French Bulldog who they fear was stolen from their back garden at around 10.30pm on Tuesday night.
Claire Norwell, of Broadstairs, Kent, says her five-year-old daughter Ivy-Abbie has been left heartbroken and 'out of her mind' following the disappearance of Bronson, their French Bulldog.
Another devastated family are searching for their beloved French Bulldog who they fear was stolen from their back garden. Pictured: Claire Norwell, of Broadstairs, Kent, and her five-year-old daughter Ivy-Abbie with their two dogs
Ivy-Abbie has been left heartbroken and 'out of her mind' following the disappearance of Bronson, their French Bulldog (pictured)
Read More Revealed: The dog most targeted by thieves who sell designer breeds for up to £5,000 on black market
'Somebody has jumped my fence from the other side, picked him up, opened the bolt on the gate and pulled the gate open,' she said.
'I've gone out there this morning and had a look in the daylight, and you can see fresh scratch marks on the other side of the fence, where somebody's feet have been rubbing against the wood to get over.'
'I haven't slept at all. I've been sitting there staring at the French doors all night, thinking if they let him go, he can find his way back, and if he makes a noise or he cries, I don't want to be asleep and miss him being there.
'We've been out of our minds. They're not just your pets, they are family.'
Analysis of police data revealed that certain breeds are more at risk than others of being taken with French Bulldogs found to be the most common for dognapping in 2024.
There were 51 snatched nationwide - an increase of more than a third (38 per cent) compared to 2023.
Given French Bulldogs can fetch up to £5,000 if purchased from a reputable breeder, it is little wonder they were the most snatched dog of 2024 - with criminals able to secure large sums of money for the animals by selling them on.
English bulldogs proved the second most stolen breed, with 37 incidents reported - followed by Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Chihuahuas, XL Bullies and Labradors.
But other breeds are also proving at risk of dognapping, with thousands of pet owners across the UK left with the agonising question of where their four-legged family member went - and if they'll ever see them again.
While others have had their homes raided and their belongings stolen, burglars have also taken family pets with them.
A teacher has been left devastated after burglars ransacked her family home and stole their beloved Yorkshire Terrier Poodle.
Eliz Yusuf, 26, and her mother said they are willing to pay the burglars to bring their dog home safe after he was stolen from their home in leafy Palmers Green, north Londo, on December 16.
The thieves stole diamonds, gold coins, medals, but most importantly for the fmaily, their dog - Simba.
Ms Yusuf said: 'Honestly, I'd say that our lives have been turned upside down. This has been truly devastating for all of us.
'We just want him back with us. He's been such a big part of my life since I was 16.'
Footage also shows another dog snatcher who broke into a family home and stuffed a Chihuahua puppy into her rucksack before fleeing the scene.
Eliz Yusuf, 26, and her mother said they are willing to pay the burglars to bring their dog home safe after he was stolen from their home in leafy Palmers Green, north Londo, on December 16. (Pictured: Eliz Yusuf and her dog Simba)
A heartbroken pet owner was filmed chasing a 'dog snatcher' down the street after a woman broke into her home and tried to stuff her puppy into a rucksack
The nine-week-old puppy targeted by the thief was so young it did not even have a name yet
Jolene Cooper, 14, single-handedly chased off the woman from her grandmother's house in Buckingham on September 1, but they managed to flee with the puppy.
Footage from grandmother-of-22 Jo Cooper's security cameras shows a woman, dressed all in black, entering the property through the front gate while carrying a black backpack.
Seconds later, she runs out the house at full pelt, backpack in her arms, and flees down the street while being chased by the plucky teenager.
Dog squeals can be heard, which Ms Cooper says came from the alleged robber's backpack, as she is said to have taken one of the nine-week-old puppies and placed it inside.
During the pursuit Ms Cooper is heard shouting 'what the f*** are you doing' and 'give me back my puppy'.
Some families are lucky enough for their pets to be returned to them like one miraculous reunion as one family's stolen puppy was found 170 miles away.
Mother-of-three Sophie Dann was horrified when a man who claimed he had come to view their puppy in Gloucestershire on December 30 suddenly grabbed the six-week-old Labrador pup and drove off.
Her partner managed to track the thief down through Facebook to Huntingdon - leading Sophie to contact Cambridgeshire Police.
The force rescued the puppy just 12 hours after its owners got in touch with the information they'd found - and picked him up 170 miles from its home in the Ramsey area of Cambridgeshire.
'It was horrible,' Sophie told the Daily Mail. 'We spent four days without him.'
The theft of puppy litters is also a lucrative crime, as dog nappers will take the litter to sell them on for huge amounts of money.
Heartless burglars stole a litter of Cavapoos, worth up to £10,000, in the picturesque market town of Bury St Edmunds before dumping their mother 110 miles away.
Devastated Simone Devorty, 64, returned to her home after a hospital appointment to find the house ransacked and her dog and her four puppies, plus other valuables, missing.
Charlie Romeo was stolen by a man who claimed he was coming to view the puppy
The black Labrador pup was miraculously found 170 miles away from his home and returned to the family
King Charles Spaniel, Mabel, and her puppies which are still missing after being stolen on December 2
Her cherished King Charles Spaniel, Mabel, was found two days later 110 miles away, but there was no sign of the little Cavapoo pups.
Miss Devorty's daughter, Alisha Clack, said: 'Mabel was completely exhausted and slept the whole way home. She has spent every waking minute since she got home searching for her puppies. That has been really distressing to see.'
Ruairidh Nichols, Public Affairs Manager at Dogs Trust, said 'Having your beloved pet stolen is an extremely stressful, heart-breaking experience.
'For most owners, pets are members of the family, and being separated from them, without knowing where they are, is devastating.'
An RSPCA spokesperson said: 'The theft of a pet is devastating and for a long time we have needed tougher laws to act as a real deterrent to those who carry out this crime.
'We were delighted that the Pet Theft Act, which came into force in 2024, will help to crack down on those who steal people's much-loved animals.
'The RSPCA doesn't deal directly with pet theft - leaving criminal matters such as this to the expertise of police - and we would urge anyone who believes their pet has been taken to report the incident to police immediately.
'The charity urges all pet owners to take extra precautions to protect their companions from thieves - by neutering their pets, ensuring they are microchipped with up-to-date contact details registered and ensuring dogs wear a collar with contact details embroidered or an engraved ID tag.
'The microchipping of dogs is mandatory in England and Wales with cat microchipping also required in England.
'Owners should never leave their dogs tied up outside shops or alone in cars, ensure their gardens are secure with gates locked, and ensure their dog has a good recall and doesn't stray too far when off-lead on walks.
'Home security systems are another useful tool in crime prevention - including acting as a deterrent.'
RSPCA advice on reducing the risk of your pet being stolenNever leave your dog outside a shop on their own or in a car unattended.Train your dog to come back when called, and never let them off the lead if you're not sure they'll come back to you. If in doubt, use a long-line lead, especially if you're in an unfamiliar area where your dog may get lost more easily.Make sure your garden is secure and if you have a gate then fit it with a lock. It's also a good idea to fit a bell to the gate so you hear if anyone opens it.Don't leave your dog on their own in the garden, or at least keep them in view.Get your dog microchipped - the best way of making sure you can be reunited with your dog if they're lost or stolen is to have them microchipped, which is now a legal requirement.It's vital to keep your contact details up-to-date on the database, so remember to update them if you move home or change your phone number.Keep recent photographs of your pet and make a note of any distinguishing features.Take care when choosing someone to care for your dog if you're going away or need a dog walker while you go to work. Use a reputable company or boarding kennels, and check references for people who provide dog or house-sitting services.Neuter your pet, as this can reduce the likelihood of them roaming.Put a collar and tag on your pet - when they're in a public place, every dog must wear a collar with the name and address of their owner engraved on it, or on a plate or tag attached to it. It is also recommend including your mobile phone number on any ID, as this can help reunite you with your pet quickly should they ever get lost or stolen. Cat collars should be quick-release to stop them from hurting themselves.Source: RSCPA