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.
“Pets are not inanimate objects like a stolen wallet … but sentient beings capable of experiencing emotional trauma.”
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.
“If we do not follow suit, Wales is in danger of being left behind,” she said.