Galway Bay fm newsroom - The Dáil will this week debate a motion on tougher penalties for those who steal pets.
The motion calls for an amendment to current laws, that would recognise pets are more than just property and should not be treated the same as theft of objects.
It's been prepared by a group of regional TD's which includes Galway West TD Noel Grealish, Galway East TD Sean Canney and Roscommon-Galway Deputy Denis Naughten.
Deputy Canney says the Government has indicated it's in favour of the changes, but concerns remain that the issue will be put on the "long finger".
He says the issue of pets being stolen was been amplified by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, with Gardai receiving over a dozen reports of stolen or lost pets per day last year.
Deputy Canney argues at present, the theft of a beloved pet is treated the same as the theft of something like a mobile phone.
