An Exploration of Dog-Related Policy Through a Legal Animal Geographies Lens

Abstract

This article employs a legal animal geographies lens to redefine dogs as more-than-property, focusing on the UK’s legislative shift from the Theft Act 1968 to the Pet Abduction Act 2024, recognising their sentience. We explore how evolving societal values reshape legal frameworks, emphasising dogs’ emotional and social significance in human-dog relations. The study examines three legislative approaches - controlling out-of-place animals, regulating animal materiality, and protecting against harm - revealing their spatial and political dimensions. By analysing geographies of UK dog theft, we highlight patterns, victim experiences, and the property-companion divide. This shift challenges anthropocentric and speciesist legal systems, offering a model for multispecies justice with global policy impact. We envision future research, including non-western and indigenous perspectives, to advance ethical human-animal governance. Bridging animal and legal geographies, this study provides critical insights for students, researchers, and policymakers to understand and reform human-animal relations worldwide, advocating for ethical, evidence-based policies.