IT was very disappointing that Conservative MPs voted against a pet theft law.

They should listen to families that have suffered the heartbreak of having a beloved pet taken.

The vote in favour of an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill which would have made pet theft a specific criminal offence.

However, the amendment was defeated by Conservative MPs.

As a cat owner I was shocked by the hugely worrying rise in pet thefts and I can't imagine how tragic it must be for people to have their pets stolen from them.

I would encourage all Tory MPs to listen to the victims who've lost an animal which is very much part of their family, understand the pain and the loss they're going through and then hopefully that will wake them up to start taking this seriously.

I was lucky enough to take ownership of my cat after the RSPCA gave medical care when my cat's previous owner did not treat her well.

She was dumped and the RSPCA gave her a home and a chance.

Over 10 years ago I then had the chance to look after her and I have never looked back.

Pets can be amazing and my cat is lovely.

If she left me I would be devastated.

In the vote, 354 Tories blocked efforts to make pet theft a crime in its own right, with stiffer penalties for offenders.

Under the current law, pets are treated as property, with no distinction between a family's beloved dog and a stolen bike.

Meanwhile, pet theft is up 250% in the past year as the value of pets has soared during lockdown.

Pets aren't property.

They are so much more and the law should reflect that.

We need bigger fines and tougher sentences to deter criminals who currently see pet theft as an easy option, with the monetary value of pets rising and the chance of conviction shockingly low.

*This article is part of the weekly column provided to Ealing Nub News by the leader of the Ealing Liberal Democrats, Councillor Gary Malcolm.

• The leaders of the other two main Ealing parties (Labour and Conservatives) have also been offered that opportunity, but so far have chosen not to take it.