Petition · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Make repeatedly feeding another person’s pet after being told to stop an offence
Open for signatures
22 signatures
What the petition asks
Create a specific criminal offence where a person, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, feeds or attempts to feed another person’s pet on two or more separate occasions and the owner or lawful keeper has clearly instructed them to stop.
The offence should require proof that:
The offence should require proof that:
The person received a clear and evidenced instruction not to feed the animal;
They knew, or ought to have known, that the owner’s consent had been refused or withdrawn;
They continued feeding or attempting to feed the animal; and
Their conduct caused, or created a significant risk of, illness, injury, poisoning, dietary harm, behavioural disturbance, distress, disappearance, other danger to the animal, or death.
Police and authorised animal-welfare inspectors should be able to investigate complaints and take enforcement action.
The offence should not apply to accidental feeding, veterinary treatment, authorised care, emergency action reasonably taken to prevent immediate suffering, or assistance given to an animal genuinely believed to be lost, abandoned or in immediate danger.
They knew, or ought to have known, that the owner’s consent had been refused or withdrawn;
They continued feeding or attempting to feed the animal; and
Their conduct caused, or created a significant risk of, illness, injury, poisoning, dietary harm, behavioural disturbance, distress, disappearance, other danger to the animal, or death.
Police and authorised animal-welfare inspectors should be able to investigate complaints and take enforcement action.
The offence should not apply to accidental feeding, veterinary treatment, authorised care, emergency action reasonably taken to prevent immediate suffering, or assistance given to an animal genuinely believed to be lost, abandoned or in immediate danger.
Timeline
| 13 Aug 2026 | Petition opened for signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
22
Status
Open for signatures
Department
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Opened
13 Aug 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 14 Aug 2026.